A new Harris-Decima poll suggests that the NDP is now tied with the Bloc Quebecois for first place in the province. At 26% a piece, the NDP has dropped significantly by 16 points since the May election. The NDP losses were distributed at 3 for the Bloc Quebecois, 1 for the Conservatives, 5 for Greens and 6 for the Liberals which shows the Liberals and Greens as the big gainers in Quebec to propel them to second/third place.
If you take the results of this election – percentage-wise and compare the actual seat count with the hypothetical based on proportional representation, you will see that the Canadian people have been cheated. With a governing majority based off of 40% of the votes, it doesn’t require much knowledge to realize that 60% of the population that voted – 61% – are not represented in this equation. This scenario means significantly less seats for the Conservatives, and a Green Party that meets the official party status with 12 seats. Maybe it is time that Canadians considered electoral reform to ensure their voices get heard. It is democracy, isn’t it?
The Conservatives only had one defense when it came to the Motion of Contempt that kicked them out of power. It was that it was a solely opposition-based ordeal. Now that the Auditor General comes out with a report on the G8 and G20 summits echoing the opposition’s call of ‘lack of transparency,’ Harper will have quite a bit to worry about. From the campaign of accountability came the ‘In and Out’ scandal, staffers who are being investigated for fraud, G8 funding for borders which landed 300km away from any type of border and was used as bribe money for a riding.
Michael Ignatieff and the Liberal party have a lot to be happy about. His campaign is going well. Tory lies have no effect, and as an added bonus, they have gained 5 points in the polls in the last week – indicating that a Harper majority is out of the question. While it’s still the first week, if the trends continue, the Liberals may have a good shot at forming the next government.
The third day of campaigning sees a change in tide in opposition tactics, but Stephen Harper plays the coalition like a broken record. Stephen Harper won’t let go of the coalition and risks losing his seats in the Quebec City region. Meanwhile, Michael Ignatieff went grocery shopping and took aim and Conservative tax policy. Jack Layton pleads for strategic voting. Gilles Duceppe vows to make his campaign about Quebec Independence.
Today commences the election campaign that may or may not change the status-quo in Canadian politics. All of the political parties are trying to get their message across, but will their messages effect the outcome of the upcoming election?
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