Election notes - Day 5

• Libs and Dips are now trumpeting a Stephen Harper interview from 1997 when he was head of the National Citizens' Coalition talking about ... coalitions..when he wasn't even an MP.. when the right.. the PCs and Reform Party were divided.  He made no mention of the Bloc.  But what Libs and Dips fail to see in ALL of this is that back in 2008, they went into a formal support agreement with the Bloc Quebecois separatists.  In 2004, there was no agreement between the opposition parties to form a coalition government.  In 2008, there was.  No one, not even Tom Flanagan, has provided proof otherwise, other than saying Harper was "contemplating" it.  I'm sure Ignatieff is "contemplating" going back to Harvard when he loses this election and steps down as leader too.
   
• Green Party leader Elizabeth May has not been invited to the leaders' debates.  Aw.  Win your own seat, Betty.  I'm trying to find out if Preston Manning was at the debates in 1988 and 1993.  Does anyone know?
  
• A friend of mine who's a Green supporter said to me, "May has the political acumen of a goldfish. Why she has to go up against Conservative cabinet ministers is beyond me.  Oh, and I'm voting Conservative this time because we need simply need a majority government."  I've heard this several times from traditionally non-Conservative voters.
  
• Jack then says he doesn't know why May cannot attend (good on him taking the higher road though).  The NDP is also moving to the right of the Liberals with today promising to lower the small business tax and provide incentives. Very smart move by the NDP but is it street-level Tim Hortons type policy?  Another TV spot is out too.  Not bad. Not bad at all.
  
• An NDP candidate in Ontario has dropped out of the race to support the Liberal saying he doesn't want to split the vote.  Methinks he actually was a Liberal in Dipper clothing.  Liberals are sneaky. Always have been.  You now wonder how many Liberals are going to join the NDP and cause a merger down the road.
  
• I've been following the website threehundredeight.com for some time now.  Here's the current numbers:
  Con 151 (+8) ... 4 more to the magic number
  Lib 73 (-4)
  BQ 51 (+4)
  NDP 33 (-3)
  
• Liberals are way down in Quebec.  Conservatives are leading well in battlegrounds of Ontario and BC.  Even if Ontario stays as it is, the Prairies and BC could actually and finally decide if it's a majority or not.  The key will be another strong NDP showing in urban centres to split the vote with Liberals.  Well, except for Edmonton-Strathcona.  The Liberals just finally nominated their candidate there.  I've been saying it for years... the Liberals and NDP in Edmonton work together and support the better candidate in many of the ridings.
  
• I think the debates will be key to this election. No one is really paying attention right now except us bloggers, hacks, and pundits.  Everyone is wondering why we're having an election.  Uh, because they're fun? Duh! ..lol..  I think to truly secure a majority, at the debate, Harper has to make Iggy trip up on his tongue, and in the last 16 days, Harper has to come out with some fuzzy hope and vision. I'm wondering if the Conservatives haven't over-played their hand with all the TV ads and 'coalition' talk.
  
• Messaging.  Here's the buzz words in my own head emanating from each party at the present moment.
  - Conservative:  "they'll form a coalition" -- ok, we get it.  Move on to something else.
  - Liberal:  "will give you poor students $4000" -- and so will the rich students
  - Bloc:  "Frère Jacques, frère Jacques, Dormez-vous? Dormez-vous? Sonnez les matines! Sonnez les matines! Din, dan, don. Din, dan, don". -- Campaigns are old hat for Gilles.
  - NDP:  "Now that's Canadian leadership." -- well, I wouldn't expect anything else. They need a better slogan though.  But Jack is impressing me the most again this election.  He's energetic despite the hip, he's positive, and he's speaking clearly and with vigour.