The NDP dream of forming its first government is fading quickly. Tom Mulcair is still in good form as he campaigns tirelessly day and night. But this morning the NDP campaign had its leader in the NDP held riding of Dartmouth-Cole Harbour. Robert Chisholm won the riding in 2011 by only 800 votes. The Liberals continue to poll very well throughout the Maritimes and the NDP can’t afford to lose its Halifax seats. On election night it will be worth watching another seat, the riding of Halifax. NDP’s Megan Leslie won that riding with more than 50 per cent of the vote in 2011. If the Liberals take that it that might be an omen for how the evening will go for the NDP.
Mulcair said Harper and Trudeau “are of one mind” on too many issues facing Canada. He was asked about his position on the legalization of marijuana. Mulcair said the NDP would decriminalize it overnight but legalization would take more time to “get it right.”
Shoring up NDP support didn’t stop in Halifax. The stakes are far bigger in Quebec where the NDP hold the vast majority of seats now. The NDP will lose seats to the Liberals and Conservatives the question now is only how many? So Mulcair headed to Montreal to campaign in ridings the NDP thought they owned just six weeks ago. He was asked why he is now heading to Quebec. He didn’t answer the question. Mulcair finds himself in third place trying to hold voters’ allegiance, selling his “vision of optimism and confidence.” The NDP pitch probably won’t get enough votes to win but Mulcair keeps his hopes alive that Canada’s first three way race will end with an NDP government.
An Ipsos poll released yesterday had the Liberal Party at 29 per cent three points ahead of the NDP in Quebec. The Bloc Quebecois and the Conservatives also were up in the Quebec polling. Quebec has a long history of voting largely for one party in federal elections. With some ridings a four-way race, that tradition will be tested Monday night. But the Liberal Party has the momentum in Quebec right now and if that builds and carries over into francophone ridings, the Liberals could capture more seats than predicted.
Justin Trudeau highlighted the generation difference between himself and his opponents, Mulcair and Harper, by going to Mohawk College in Hamilton. He talked about young people, education, student loans, and promised that only the Liberals will “put more money in the pockets of nine out of ten Canadians.” A reporter wanted to know if Trudeau is asking for a majority government. Given that gift question Trudeau played it out saying first “we want to form a strong government. Then he went further, “Am I asking for a majority government? Yes.” Trudeau hit five ridings in southern Ontario today. On his last stop in Ajax Trudeau said the Liberals had the chance “to take the country from Stephen Harper and give it back to Canadians.” Trudeau, his voice hoarse and breaking, called on his supporters to get the vote out. His campaign seeks to do what seemed impossible at the beginning of August – end up with the most seats in the new House of Commons.
Stephen Harper was in Brantford, a riding the Conservatives won easily in 2011. Harper began by reminding his partisan crowd of how fragile the world economy is. He used that economic insecurity to set his case for voting Conservative. Harper then talked about his “positive” message for Canadians. That message is built solely around tax cuts and a balanced budget. Again today Harper rattled off the middle class tax reasons for voting Conservative. Even when the questions ranged to legalizing marijuana Harper went back to his tax cut talking points. When asked about the support he is getting from Rob and Doug Ford – both who have admitted to drug use – Harper refused to name either and said only the “family’s” support of the Conservatives is well known.
The Harper campaign found Cathy and Ed, a local senior couple, to highlight what the Liberal platform would cost them. The cash register sound effect was turned up again. But this time Harper didn’t brag about the total amount Cathy and Ed would save. Perhaps that was because the savings would be over ten years. A couple hours earlier Trudeau joked about the cash register. Harper can use all the “game show simulations he likes.” He said. Trudeau went on to say Harper’s “plan puts more money in the pockets of the wealthiest Canadians.”
While Harper doubles down every day on tax cuts it appears some Conservatives are working on the sidelines to paint the Liberals as a pot smoking, brothel supporting party with loose moral values. The Toronto Star quoted Oakville Conservative candidate Terrence Young at a local debate asking. “Do you want communities in Oakville that are quiet and safe?” he asked. “Or communities where a federal Liberal government mandates legally protected brothels with madams and all that goes with that because the Liberals have promised to legalize the selling of women in Canada?”
Conservative ads in ethnic media are also alleging that the Liberals will allow marijuana to be sold to children.
Harper was asked about it today and talked about getting to the facts. Harper responded “The other guys will claim it’s fear when all we’re trying to do is draw attention to facts – facts they are not willing to talk about.” Trudeau’s responded to the latest “values” attacks this morning. He said Harper’s “politics of fear and division are not worthy of a Prime Minister.” The Conservatives appear comfortable having their leader focus on the economy and let the Canadian value debate percolate in socially conservative ridings especially in the GTA and around Vancouver.
All the leaders will be in Quebec Thursday. Trudeau will be in Montreal. Watch for him to make a stop in Outremont, the seat currently held by Mulcair. Stephen Harper hopes for gains in Quebec too and he will be in another NDP held riding, Trois Rivieres. Mulcair hasn’t given up. He will head to one of the few Conservative held ridings in Quebec, Lac St-Jean before heading to Sherbrooke.
