Notes from the Campaign Trail: Struggling NDP launches new slogan

The New Democrats wanted to start this week with a new slogan, a new TV ad, and also hoped to try and put a new light on leader Jagmeet Singh.

The slogan "In it for you" got everyone's attention in the morning. The TV ad has Singh saying people tell him he is "different from the other leaders." Then with confidence, he says, "I am."

The party sent Singh to Newfoundland to campaign in St. John's East, a riding the NDP's Jack Harris lost in 2015 to the Liberals by just 646 votes. Harris is back and is polling strongly in the riding. So in Atlantic Canada St. John's East will be a riding to watch. Remember, the Liberals hold all the seats in the region.

The NDP is trying to keep the message on track and positive after a week of questions about the lack of nominated candidates, a shortage of money, and the growing interest in the Green Party across the country.

The candidate deficit is starting to gnaw away at the credibility of the party. That credibility took another substantial hit today when a group of former provincial NDP candidates in New Brunswick announced they were leaving the party and joining the Green Party. The departing NDP candidates not only left the party but encouraged "all New Democrats, New Brunswickers and, indeed, all Canadians in voting for the Green Party of Canada this election."

Apparently, the group is also upset that Jagmeet Singh has not found time to visit New Brunswick since becoming the leader of the party in 2017. Green Party leader, Elizabeth May, told CTV's Power and Politics today the NDP defections "certainly puts more wind in our sails." But May said the Greens will need a gale to win a seat in the province. In fact, according to the party website, they have four ridings in New Brunswick without a candidate. The party's best showing in 2015 was beating the NDP to third place with 12 per cent of the vote.

But one shouldn't count out a Green Party swing in New Brunswick. In last year's provincial election, three Greens were elected improving the party's vote to 12.41 per cent. Meanwhile, the NDP failed to elect anyone, and its vote dipped down to 5 per cent.

The NDP comeback today is that the party has six candidates identified in New Brunswick and expects to have them formally nominated by the middle of September. If that happens, both parties are still looking for candidates for four ridings in the province. And the NDP promises New Brunswickers that come election day "everyone in New Brunswick will be able to vote for an NDP MP who will work to immediately bring in a national pharmacare program and will always put people's interests first." One NDP strategist insists the whole NDP candidate issue is "far overblown," but concedes the party is "butting up against an election deadline."

Elizabeth May has led the Green Party for 13 years. It appears Canadians like what they see. A Nik Nanos poll out today shows that more Canadians believe May, with 40.3 per cent, has the qualities of a good leader. That's better than Conservative leader Andrew Scheer at 36.6 per cent. May is just four points behind Prime Minister Trudeau on the leadership question. Meanwhile, Jagmeet Singh polled at 28.6 per cent.

With 50 days to go and limited money to spend the NDP will have to target regions and ridings where they have a chance to win. New Brunswick isn't on the NDP priority list. And when the campaign starts for real, it will be interesting to see how often Elizabeth May makes her way to New Brunswick. The Green Party challenge is much the same as the NDP. It will have to focus its limited resources and organization on ridings where the party has the potential to win. If Elizabeth May makes her way to Fredericton after October 10, then the election story will be a re-writing of the Canadian electoral fortunes.