It's election day in Canada, polls are open, the "democratic process" has begun.

I don't usually talk politics, I have strong political leanings but they differ from most of my family, half of my friends and practically all of my coworkers, so I usually keep them to myself.

That being said, I have to point out what I've observed this past week and a bit. I live in Ottawa, in the Ottawa South riding that has been represented by the Liberal party both federally and provincially for aeons. My MPP is the premier of Ontario (Dalton McGuinty) the current MP is his brother (David McGuinty) and the former MP was John Manley. This riding has been a "safe Liberal riding" for longer than I've lived here. What's different this election? Blue signs EVERYWHERE. I don't mean the big signs that the party with the most money will errect on public land at intersections and playgrounds, no, I mean the small lawn signs that private citizens put up on their own property. Last election, just a year and a half ago, almost all of those signs were red. This year more than half are blue. The Conservatives are running a very strong candidate, Allan Cutler (the "whistleblower" of the sponsorship scandal), and it sure looks like a fair amount of long time Liberals have jumped ship.

Who will win Ottawa South? I predict a very close race. The Liberals have deep roots here, and the Liberal candidate actually lives in the riding, but will that be enough? I'm not so sure. Tomorrow will tell.