As for Layton-- you can also recognize that he is a person who learns from mistakes. The NDP in his first campaign as leader spoke out of their rear ends on several critical policies and got criticized for it (I am speaking about tax proposals to take everyone under 18k off the tax rolls but this effectively wiped out the tax advantages for seniors, disabled etc.). Since then the NDP in general and Layton in particular have done a very good job of making sure they know what they are talking about before they speak. I do not want them to change this. Being a little slow off the mark on somethigns is less of a deal than rushing in and getting it wrong. Some of the respect the NDP is earning these days is because of this. Some of the problems the Cons are facing are because of a lack of this.
That is worth pointing out I think.