In its length, in its cost and in its debate schedule, this election is unusual. The first and possibly only real debate of the campaign ended and here are the highlights of what happened.

The four-day Liberal convention closed yesterday setting the stage for 2015. Despite a leaked Conservative memo suggesting attempts to disrupt the convention, the events continued as though they weren’t there. The Conservatives and media did try to surface negative publicity, but recent polls show Liberal support is on the rise as the Tories and NDP prepare for the most negative campaign seen since 2006.

In an interview with Evan Solomon yesterday, Liberal leader Justin Trudeau revealed some of his policy stances ahead of the new year.

Toronto-Centre is shaping up to be the battle of media titans as Liberal Chrystia Freeland and NDP Linda McQuaig enter the rink. However, Mulcair’s candidate is attempting to reopen the very Pandora’s box he has been desperately sealing away.

The low-tax Conservatives have jacked up taxes on foreign musicians who wish to perform in Canada, creating misery for small businesses and bars.

Canadians angry about Conservative austerity measures have a new reason to be upset. While the cuts the Conservatives made directly impacted services, bureaucracy and federal payrolls ballooned as a result of their governance. In short: Canadians lost services and meat so they could keep useless bureaucrats and fat.

Canada’s insurance industry is being forced to pay a $1 billion GST bill by the end of the month, one many companies never had to pay before. Critics say the move smacks a “banana republic.” For a party that claims it is the low tax party, this government has introduced hidden tax hikes and new taxes.

Auditor General Michael Ferguson released his annual spring report which found lack of information to be the theme of the Conservatives’ program spending. Included in this analysis is $3.1 billion in funding for anti-terrorism which can’t be accounted for and off the radar. In times of economic uncertainty and austerity, can the Conservatives really afford to lose $3.1 billion without having it accounted for?

If the Conservatives couldn’t have stooped to a new low, according to a leaked document, they are now planning to use our money and Parliamentary mail privileges to distribute their petty and pathetic attacks against Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau. As a taxpayer, it is appalling to learn the money that is shelled out is going to go to petty politics the Conservative Party can pay for themselves. This alone should be met with an electoral loss in 2015, Harper is in way over his head.

Expect prices on all goods to rise as the Conservatives increase tariffs on everything imported from China and India. The hidden tax will likely be overlooked until it hits your pocketbooks as the Conservatives advertise the removal in tariffs for hockey and baby equipment. However, don’t be fooled, the ‘low tax’ mantra of the Conservatives, desperately being portrayed here is nothing but a lie. Taxes will go up, just you won’t see it directly. Expect the Canada-US price gap to grow even further.