Stephen Taylor – a blog on Canadian politics » Is Harper’s campaign in decline?

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October 8, 2008

Is Harper’s campaign in decline?

Recent polls would indicate that the Conservative campaign has experienced a steady softening in support since both federal leader’s debates. When polls go well partisans treat them like gospel and when they go poorly, the methodology is questioned. Supporters will point to a good poll, frame it, put it in the window well past the time it fades with age and relevance. And for bad polls, well, polls simply for dogs aren’t they?

With respect to one’s worldview, in recent weeks that of many Canadians — not to speak others around the world — has been shaken by the global economic crisis. Up is down and then up again before it goes back down and while Canadians are captivated by their investment portfolios, they find as much uncertainty with the future of politics as they do the economy and thus politics captivates us all as well.

In a time of global economic uncertainty, are we seeing a natural inclination of Canadians to be uncertain of politics as well? As the stock markets take dips and dives affected by factors outside of our borders it is understandable that Canadians are in a state of uncertainty on how they would shape the future political landscape of this country.

In the next week, Canadians will be forced to make a choice early, before all of the dust has settled worldwide and Canadians will look to what they know but they will be largely affected by what they will come to understand over the next week. These 6 days before the election are critical for the leaders to make their case and for them to shape perceptions of their ability to lead, to show stability and convince Canadians that their vision represents stability to allow the Canadian ship to weather the global economic storm.

I write this as I watch Stephane Dion address a joint meeting of the Empire Club and the Canadian Club of Toronto. The Prime Minister addressed the same organizations the day before at the Royal York and such speeches at this junction of the campaign can shape perceptions, firm up expectations and bring stability to uncertain political times.

Yet such hallmark opportunities to address Canadian business and economic leaders can be an early political indicator for the final close on election day. Declining campaigns show declining momentum; in the last days of the 2006 federal election, as John Tory’s bid for Ontario Premier came to a close last year, as Ernie Eves ushered in last dying battle cry of the common sense revolution, reports indicated dwindling numbers at rallies, diminished interest in speeches and rooms left half-full as leaders could do little to hide realities of a halted momentum in their campaigns. As an indicator of campaign viability, the Prime Minister’s campaign has positive momentum during these final days of the campaign. As suggested by Steve Paikin’s tweet just one hour ago from the Royal York, the same cannot be said for Stephane Dion, “the royal york is starting to fill up. dion is en route. harper had 1000 yesterday. only 300 for dion today.”

So, what of these polls that suggest a tightening between the Harper and Dion campaigns? Unlike financial markets that show volatility in real-time where investors can gain or lose their fiscal security in one single day, Canadians are fortunately not faced with the same demands as they make political decisions. As the economic world spikes and plunges before them, Canadians are taking stock of the political landscape and are doing their research before they lock in their investment on election day. The question is, when they vote, will they be bullish and choose high risk with uncertain yield or will they go with a safe investment which has shown a stable modest return?

This entry was authored by Stephen Taylor at 12:20 PM | Tweet this | Comments (44)

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Brian

And another thought for the voter before casting their vote : When was the last time you trusted a Liberal to make good on their promises ?

Jean Chretien … promised to abolish the GST.

Dalton McGuinty … well the question should reall be did he keep any of the plethora of promises ?

Stephane Dion … what has he actually promised that you can believe he can or will implement , other than a green tax ?
Dean

When the smoke clears and the average Canadian's net worth continues to slide, Harper`s no panic, stay the course approach will be comforting. Again as it was in the last election the voters do not want to see another Liberal government in power. The majority do not want to go with Dion and his carbon tax when it’s unclear how this would operate under the new world economics. The problem is Canada does not seem ready to entrust the Conservative with a majority government. In the past three elections when the Conservatives rise in the polls a correction occurs bring them back to the pack. I was expecting it to happen this time again and it did. But fellow Canadians keep this in mind…the answer to these economic woes will take long term solutions that require long term implementation. A minority government will not have the time or resources needed to combat the current situation. A trip back to the polls in another two and half years does nobody any good.
Karol

Stephen,
Why do you have to use so many words to say what everybody in Canada knows already??
We know that Liberanos and their MSM friends are cooking results of public opinion polls.

Just ask yourself; how many donors Lberals have??
How much money Liberals collected from their donors??
People vote with their wallets before they vote with their feet.
Cheers,
Alan

“We know that Liberanos and their MSM friends are cooking results of public opinion polls.”

This illustrates the problem with the echo chamber than any blog can become. It does not fit the quality of the usual discourse here, however, it may be related to the failure any any CPC official (let alone supporter) to notice but the Harper plan is the high risk one with uncertain yield. Definitely by perception and possibly in fact. Canada has done very well over the decades by interventionist government and the idea that we fly on the winds of laisse-faire now is shocking. The drop in the polls is related to that.

Harper may have a great plan. He has failed to sell it. As for the crowd, people gather to see a train wreck. Not sure if they saw one but that's what can happen.

Alan
Gen X at 40
john

I think the key now is to get the discussion going this weekend during thanksgiving. I'm serious. By Friday the CPC needs some serious attack ads out there showing just what will happen in Dion wins. Hopefully one that would talk about the dangers of strategic voting or aiming for a minority.
burpnrun

Direct answer? Yes, it is. They had everything going for them, but the PM himself blew it. First time noticed in the debates, when he said people weren’t worried about jobs and homes, but were worried about stock market! Consistent position/communication since, including Mansbridge interview last night. This is going to be a debacle, Stephen, unless the PM takes immediate steps. A weaker minority, possibly lose? I’m a long-time PCP supporter, but this is insane. What the heck is Harper doing?
burpnrun

Direct answer? Yes, it is. They had everything going for them, but the PM himself blew it. First time noticed in the debates, when he said people weren’t worried about jobs and homes, but were worried about stock market! Consistent position/communication since, including Mansbridge interview last night. This is going to be a debacle, Stephen, unless the PM takes immediate steps. A weaker minority, possibly lose? I’m a long-time PCP supporter, but this is insane. What the heck is Harper doing?
http://www.sortofpolitical.com Springer

I’m of the opinion that frequent use of the term, “Prime Minister Dion”, should be enough to rattle voters out of their collective coma and send them scrambling to mark their ballots for a real PM next Tuesday.

But then again, this is, after all, Canada…and I probably should know better.
http://www.sortofpolitical.com Springer

I’m of the opinion that frequent use of the term, “Prime Minister Dion”, should be enough to rattle voters out of their collective coma and send them scrambling to mark their ballots for a real PM next Tuesday.

But then again, this is, after all, Canada…and I probably should know better.
Chris Cummins

It is difficult to know how people will react but Hilaire Belloc’s couplet comes to mind “And always keep a hold of nurse, for fear of finding something worse.”

I think they will “reluctently” stick with Harper. I hope so. Anyway, we will know on the 15th.
Chris Cummins

It is difficult to know how people will react but Hilaire Belloc’s couplet comes to mind “And always keep a hold of nurse, for fear of finding something worse.”

I think they will “reluctently” stick with Harper. I hope so. Anyway, we will know on the 15th.
Gabby in QC

Is the campaign in decline? One would think so, judging by the poll numbers and the reactions from pundits, including some that tend to lean right.

What can be done to counter the wrong perceptions? Doing more interviews?
I doubt it.
There used to be a time when prime ministers garnered respect merely by virtue of occupying the office; that is completely gone. The antagonism towards Mr. Harper is palpable.
I watched both Peter Mansbridge and Bernard Derome interview the PM yesterday, and all they did was constantly interrupt him in mid sentence. How can he get his message across that way?
Watch tonight, when Dion is on with Mansbridge as well. Let's see if he gets the same treatment. Probably not.

There also used to be a time when people, including provincial premiers, either remaned neutral or worked for one camp or another based on the platforms, not on trying to subvert an election with an Anybody But ____ message. It's anti-democratic.

Then, why the fixation with “the plan” being released only yesterday? Have journalists not been listening? All along, the PM has been saying: (paraphrasing) we're staying the course, and we're introducing some further measures to help families.
Was that so difficult to follow or to keep track of?

The same goes for Harper's debating style. He's been criticized in the past for his very combative style. So, he tries to turn down the rhetoric a notch, and now he's criticized for being too cool, too passive,
So is it really the Conservative policies his detractors are against? Or is it simply an intense irrational dislike of the man?

Have the Conservatives countered forcefully enough the accusations from the opposition that Canada's performance among the G8 is the worst? No.
Will Canadians absorb today's good news from the IMF about Canada's projected performance?
http://www.economicnews.ca/cepnews/wire/article…
“Canada is expected to be the fastest growing GDP of all G7 countries, with GDP expected at 1.2% after a 2% outlook six months ago.”
Have they driven home the fact that the budget surpluses the Liberals keep crowing about was due to OVERTAXATION! Unless the Liberals were running some business on the side …

Then there's Mr. Harper's image. Cold, calculating, robotic, stiff, emotionless … all those have been used to describe Mr. Harper.
So he tries to loosen up a bit, and he's pilloried and ridiculed for it.

It reminds me of the arguments made against Al Gore in the 2000 election. He too was considered too wooden, stiff etc. Remember what planting that long wet kiss on his wife did for him? Zilch. And more ridicule.

See the consequences of choosing a president based on the likeability factor? Two wars, deficits, market meltdowns, and worst of all, the panic that the poles are going to melt and drown us all. Had Al Gore been elected president, he wouldn't have had time to ignite the panic surrounding climate change, and all the expenditures connected to dousing that panic could have been directed elsewhere.

So, everything that's wrong with the world isn't ALL Bush's fault, as so many claim, but rather the fault of the voters who cast their votes based on likeability. See what that led to?
http://www.stephentaylor.ca stephentaylor

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JC Kelan

Dion and Layton have a real challenge ahead of them … how to keep up the pretension of panic and angst for another week. It's tough when RBC says the economy is solid. Same with the IMF. And housing starts were good. Really good. Apparently the jobs report will be okay too.

Man, they really need a Canadian bank to fail … and soon.
Gabby in QC

Lest there be any doubt about my rather lengthy comment: voters should be looking at their choices dispassionately.
The compassionate huggy bear reassurance you can get from your significant other. (S)he'll keep you warm and toasty and caress your cares away.
But what is needed now is a cool levelheaded leader.
Dee-on, Dee-off!
GO HARPER!
http://www.sortofpolitical.com Springer

Added a little something to my site that might make some people think about what they might be waking up to on Oct. 15.

All Conservatives can feel free to add it to your blogs, too.
Chester Drawers

Harper and his team started the ball rolling on the forseen financial turmoil back in Jan. 2006. Since Aug. 2007 they have been meeting with economists, bankers and international financeires almost daily since that time. They came out in the fall of 2007 with a financial statement and policies to keep things stable; in the spring a budget that was restrainded and fiscally responsible was presented. Deyawn want to spend 30 days doing what Harper has been doing for the last 33 months as Prime Minister. If Deyawn was any type of leader he would have been doing this since his electiona as a Librano Leader.

Deyawn and Yap Dog Layton are running around like chicken little. Our top customer does not have the cash to buy our goods. That is why we are seeing a reduction in manufacturing jobs. If we start taxing these manufacturers more we will have more layoffs as more plants close. We have more jobs now than have been lost.

How does throughing billions of dollars at this improve the situation? No one has said how this will work. Buy cars from manufacturers to stock pile in some open field, oh maybe they will put them in one of the military bases they close due to the financial raping of the military budget.
oldfarmer

Gabby????????? Al gore???????? Please.
Andrew

Let's face it. The Conservative should be at around 40% in the polls but they're not. Canada has become a left of center country if it wasn't already. A Harper majority is impossible because the country is full of liberals and liberals can't be reasoned with.
NK

Well Stephen if you are correct the PM has a rally in Vancouver tonight where they anticipate about 1000 people to come.
Philip Hauser

I am one to believe polls, not single polls but trends. Regardless of whose poll we read it seems a) that the Conservatives have the most vote, the most vote locked up and the best leadership marks.

However trending has shown the LIberals higher. The only problem with tihs is that it makes no sense. That doesn't mean it isn't true. It seems that as always Liberals can attract DIpper and Green vote to amount a good fight with the Conservatives. I can't buy that the debates turned people onto Dion. I can't buy that the market is causin all of Harper's woes. There is a failure here that smells of impossibility. Namely, how can a conservative majority happen without a Liberal collapse?

While to date the conservative have not run a dismal campaign, they no doubt have not had the jaugernaut that was occuring in 2005-06. I think the turning point of the campaign will be that Jack Layton only tepidly attacked Dion and kept focus on Harper. If Layton really believes a Harper marjoirty is the worst possible outcome than he is succeeding. However, from what I can see he is going to be the big loser election night because it would appear we are headed for a status quo outcome. The Mush of Ontario is afraid to make a change and sees the Liberals as the real deal blocker not the NDP.

Layton had it in hand to make real damage to the Liberals and for some strange reason didn't, couldn't or wouldn't. Until he can present himself as an alternative to the LIberals the Liberals are the only alternative to the Conservatives. The Conservatives can't win when Ontario is afraid and the LIberals can't win as long as the wes doesn't trust them. It's a stalemate and the west is surely more alienated with the outcome.

Troubling times for all of us because a minority situation is not what is needed to cure ecnomomic woes.

The best we can hope for is a Liberal/Conservative coalition at this point and if I am Harper I try to do that deal on the 15th. There is enough centrist force still within liberal ranks to put it together and maybe just maybe they can govern together with a minimum of problems for a long time.

This is not without risk for either party but a coalition with the Bloc or NDP is destined for disaster whether Liberal or Conservative government.
Honey Pot

Harper will win a majority. This is just a little wedge of sparkle thrown out to the liberals before they eat the dust.
Gabby in QC

OldFarmer … comparison !!!!! NOT endorsement !!!!!

Like Al Gore, Stephen Harper is considered stiff and aloof by the “bien-pensants” like we say in Quebec. Americans went for the other guy, the jovial good old boy … and look at the result: they got Cheney.
I hope Canadians will not make a similar mistake. Can you see Bob Rae at Finance?

All I'm saying is let's not make the same mistake here, i.e. choose a leader because he wears his emotions on his sleeves, and he shows how compassionate he is by moving his head in bobble-head fashion.

I want Harper's mind on the direction of the country, not his slippers under my bed, nor his shoulder to cry on.
I hope that clears it up?
codingmonkey

Excellent post.
Terry

He'll have them dancing in the aisles whe he mentions his mom of course.
Terry

I'm not sure about promises broken by any PM but have the Libs ever had one who took $300K cash in his office from a scumbag. Hve we ever had one Lberal PM who wrote a book on how to ruin house Committees
BC Voice of Reason

I am amazed that everyone says the polls don't mean anything and then the whole focus of the campaigns become poll-centric. Did anyone believe the polls that said the Libs/CPC were in a virtual tie when the election writ was called? If the polls were accurate that point in time why would Dion be running away a full speed?

None of the polls indicate how many calls are rejected… not answered or hung up part way through. None of the polls have shown that they ask any qualification question…. who is your current MP…. where is your polling staion etc. What kind of people answer polls? Has ther been any internal poll validation where the poll results are check to verify that they accurrately represent a known universe such as 52% female, an age distribution that reflects the information from the census? Home owners/renters?

The latest polling fiasco was for the Alberta General election. The polls , taken in Alberta, a much more homogenous environment than all of Canada, for the most part under-predicted the Conservative % by 10-18%

from a poll just prior to the election
KEY FINDINGS
» Among Decided Voters: PC 43%, Lib. 28%, NDP 13%, WA 10%, Grn. 7%
» Among Certain Voters: PC 39%, Lib. 30%, NDP 13%, WA 10%, Grn. 8%
» Momentum Scores: Stelmach -13, Taft +5, Mason +5, Read +1, Hinman +7
» Best Premier: Stelmach 30%, Taft 28%, Not sure 42%
» 52% say it is time for a change in government, 26% disagree, 22% are not sure
Full topline results are at the end of this release.
From February 27 to February 28, 2008, Angus Reid Strategies conducted an online survey among a randomly selected, representative sample of 753 adult Albertans. The margin of error for the total sample is +/- 3.6 %, 19 times out of 20. The results have been statistically weighted according to the most current education, age, gender and region Census data to ensure a sample representative of the entire adult population of Canada. Discrepancies in or between totals are due to rounding.

Polls

Date PC LIB WRA NDP GRN MOE Firm
28/02/2008 50 25 10 8 8 ±3.6 Strategic Counsel
29/02/2008 43 28 10 13 7 ±3.6 Angus-Reid Strategies
25/02/2008 40 18 6 5 5 ±3.3 Leger Marketing
21/02/2008 35 23 8 7 4 ±3.8 Leger Marketing
20/02/2008 42 31 10 9 8 ±2.8 Angus-Reid Strategies
17/02/2008 49 28 5 14 4 ±3.5 Ipsos-Reid
04/02/2008 52 25 6 10 7 - Environics
24/01/2008 32 18 6 7 3 ±3.3 Leger Marketing

Progressive Conservative Party wins Majority Government
PC LIB NDP WRA
72 9 2 0
Elected
Vote % 52.7 26.4 8.5 6.8
Terry

Hey honey pot that sparkle will burn out tuesday night.
http://www.stephentaylor.ca stephentaylor

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codingmonkey

I agree completely. Why was the PM so weak during the debates? Why didn't he point out obvious flaws in the opposition's platforms. Jack Layton saying he'll make “big banks pay”, so an easy response would be “so they can collapse like those in the US?” PM Harper was on the defensives almost the whole time. I understand he was being attacked from 4 sides, but he should also be on the attack and pointing out obvious problems in his opponent's plans.

Furthermore, is it really that hard to tell Canadians something like this: “I understand wholeheartedly how Canadians feel, and I want them to know that a re-elected Conservative party will do everything in its power to get Canada through this storm. We'll do everything we can to insure your pensions remain safe, that you're able to retain your jobs and stay in your homes.” He could also say, “we've been preparing the Canadian economy since the beginning of the sub-prime bust 1 year ago and we will continue to keep the Canadian economy on course. Unlike other opposition parties that need the first 30 days in office to figure out what is going on, we've been well aware of the market conditions and have helped direct the Canadian economy accordingly.” Instead, what does he say? He says that now is a good time to buy stocks. Jeez! What is he thinking?

Stephen Harper went into this election with a clear majority in his sites. If any Canadian was to use some common sense, they would see that the Conservative party is the only party that's going to insure things don't get any worse. A new tax? Increasing taxes on business? How are those even options? If this election was about something more ideological like social issues, I would understand Conservatives losing out. However, it's all about the economy now, and Stephen Harper isn't articulating himself forcefully enough so Canadians understand that his party is the _only_ option.

This is a real shame. I was really hoping for a Conservative majority. Unless Stephen Harper has an ace up his sleeve (maybe some good new ads that point out what I've mentioned above (yes I've seen the new ads, I mean more of them) or some good speeches), we're going to see a weak Conservative minority or Liberal minority. If it's going to be another minority, and a weaker one, I hope it's the Liberals at the helm. Let them screw things over (or discard their election promises) and we can have another election in a year or two where the Conservatives will win a majority.
codingmonkey

Naw, they just steal $100 million of tax payer money and give it to their friends. They also attend Lebanese rallies and march under Hezbollah's flag, or attend Tamil rallies where people fly the Tamil Tiger flag.
Beer and Popcorn

We are in the third consecutive election which the Liberal media alliance has shaken the electorate out of its polling position. I live in Toronto and I can't get away from it. In elevators, on websites (Globe and Toronto Star are the worst), newspapers (ads and columnists etc), on the radio and direct mail through the mail slot. Terrible, personal attacks on Harper and on conservatives.

The biggest disservice that the media has done, however, is in supporting the notion that an anti poverty activist (Layton) and an environmental activist (Dion) are the best equipped to deal with the volatile economy and that the best plan for these times is by imposing a carbon tax on fragile businesses. This is not only unethical but has potentially disasterous long term effects on our great country.

I agree with the assessment that Harper's campaign has been less than rock solid – but I still think he is going to win a majority.

He is going to win a majority because the Blue party is not made up or supported of big media conglomerates, of special interest groups.

The blue party is made up of people. People like you and I who contribute money to them, believe in their platforms and believe in our leader.

In today's society the MSM can create momentum, but it is people who have the credibilty and the people who can make the difference.

Talk to your friends – talk to your neighbours – lets get out the vote on Tuesday and LET'S NOT TAKE THIS ANY MORE!

B&P
Iain

Trudeau vs Stanfield no to wage and price controls
Trudeau vs Clark no gas tax
http://www.nikonthenumbers.com/topics/show/75/9081#comment_9876 Taylor Cutforth

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RT…

“And d'here it is… folks, d'here it is.”

Why are the opposition parties still up in the polls other than being propped up by the MSM?

Perhaps for the similar/same reasons as the guys behind Zeitgeist have suggested in regards to what is going on in the States. But thats all speculative, though not outside the realm of possibility or truth.

I don't think the 'corpocracy' likes the Conservatives anymore since they moved much closer Center while at the same time cut the necessary deals to push such groups back from over asserting themselves.
Especially when they've made so much progress infiltrating the more established “Liberal” party of our country while at the same time having some of the MSM in their pockets.

If our country went into the sort of problems the rest of the world is in than things would be easier for them to sweep in down the road and capitalize on our chaos and that of the global situation.

But since we happen to have a more prudent and accountable federal government than other countries, they must feel threatened that democracy may actually work here, hence–their forcefulness to prove this wrong by trying to misinform and spread 'propagandic' (new word according to me) lies to try everything they could to see if their right.

Obviously if they are successful they will be convinced that people are incapable of governing over themselves through democracy and thus begin to further subvert things until they can assert themselves openly as the world's
“new” world power or “NWO”.

That is… if you believe this sort of stuff.

Personally,I feel they would only be making things worse for everyone and themselves as oppression diminishes innovation and the speed of which technological advancements take place. Especially in comparison to how they would under a free form and diverse global environment rich with culture and constantly “evolving” ideas.

There are somethings that have to happen in real time that a simulator can't reproduce nor can even the most imaginative mind as not every aspect, variable or element can be taken into account in its raw instance that usually has to first be observed before it can be duplicated or calculated.

Else-wise, everything is theoretical and untested, rather then practical.

If your lost on any of this, relax, I'm on top of it and no doubt others have caught on too and are making a difference.

I'm sure given what I know that if I can come up with better and more sophisticated ideas to indirectly force such a 'corpacracy' away from establishing themselves any further than they already seem to have done through the U.N. and else where. (if anyone has even bothered to notice?)

Maybe its all just my wild imagination getting the best of me.
Either way I'm not too worried as it is not hard to come up with solutions to instances of that sort.
It involves the capacity to work with your perceived enemies to the benefit of the greater good for all groups which brings us back to the oppositions parties in abilities to do so…. maybe thats why they are so well liked by the wrong people (“NWO”) as they make our current government less capable of accomplishing the things needed to avoid the problematic situations that are happening in the states and elsewhere.

If they want to prove me wrong they can start by stopping their constant use of outright lies and deceptful/misleading behaviors and actions and also prove that they are able to finally get their act together by working with the government rather then against it… Which all indicators and even their own words show that they can't and are unwilling… which is yet another reason why we need a Conservative majority as they have proven themselves to be the most resistant to needless partisanship and corporate/vested/special interests that plague all other governments.

“How can you be sure?”

Any group that relies on a constant flow of lies and non-factual information while the MSM paves the way by propping them up while entirely excusing every error while nagging on every little thing the governing party says or does without providing the electorate with an unbiased or balanced perspective of all parties.

Anyone notice how brief they make the PM speeches while at the same time cutting down everything that is said and using a narrator to sum things up with a subliminally negative tone?

Something is going on and the general public are completely oblivious to it while everyone else joins the mindless anti-harper/conservative bandwagon while at the same time allowing themselves to play into the hands of the very sorts of corporate/vested/shadowy/special interest they all claim to despise.

Main while, who is the first to always dismiss or discount anything I say? Liberals.
Always Liberal supporters.

Conspiracy theories aside.

That should tell you something…

wether anyone believes me or not, I beginning to care less since I'll be alright in the long run no matter what happens. sounds far fetched but is far more likely the case then what others have proposed on the Left and at least I provide/have solutions to the various problems and possible/hypothetical situations I bring up.

but blah blah blah, draw up your own conclusions.
Watch the latest Zeitgeist movie to see what I'm on about, not that agree with what it says as half of the things they bring up is off/inaccurate. They go overboard with some of what they say and the rest doesn't apply to how things are up here but at least they promote technology. I don't know, take a look at it for yourself, just remember to take some of what is said with a grain of salt…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=baNzSK_ljqU

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=7065205…

…and be prepared for some over the top new-agey lameness and complete lack of sophistication rather typical of most things american. (what a dated nation, indeed.)

Whatever.

Least when I break someone's system of beliefs I take the courtesy of building them back up again with something better and to their benefit while reassuring them of their options.

Civilization has made it this far, people ought to learn to be more optimistic about things and learn to adapt.
http://www.stephentaylor.ca stephentaylor

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anon

MSM cheering Dion all the way. Anyone else notice the reporting? Cheerleading. Over the past two weeks, there has been a distinct difference in how Harper and Dion have been covered by the 3 main networks.

You think a banner reading “Harper under fire” would be balanced off with “Dion being criticized for…” But following “Harper under fire” is “Dion slams Harper”. Any one else notice the lack of criticism reported of Dion lately? Everytime he’s featured on the 3 main networks it’s the same pattern. No critism of Dion for anything. Harper coverage filled with Dion attacks on Harper; Dion coverage filled with Dion attacks on Harper.

And that reporter who was jeered today spoke volumes of MSM bias. He rhetoirical added at the end of his question (paraphrasing). “How do you feel about asking people who are losing their jobs to just go to the stock market and look for bargains?” Harper taken totally out of context. What’s new? If Harper ever said, “I plan to win on election night, I beleive I will defeat my opponents”, the headline would be, “Harper Plots To Destroy Anyone Who Gets In His Way”
Kirk

I just read the following article:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/W…ow/3576244.cms
The ekos polls shows Harper gaining and the story appears in a paper from India and not a canadian source.
The media bias is getting beyond reason.
DBeaulne

Two and a half years? I'll not fault you for being optimistic, but I say we'll be doing this within 15 months +/- 1 month.
http://www.nikonthenumbers.com/topics/show/75/9081#comment_9876 Taylor Cutforth

You'll have to forgive “Terry”, as he was only born into Canadian politics less than 2 years ago and has been living under a rock ever since.

Least thats what the rest of us are lead to believe due to his ignorant beliefs and unwavering support for the Liberals….. of all groups… No doubt this guy is another plant? hmmm… I wonder.
Casual Observer

Both Layton and Dion should be ashamed for trying to fuel panic in our stock markets, just to try to win votes. Absolutely shameful, they would put this country at such risk, just to try to score some votes.

Best thing that could happen to the Conservative campaign, is for the TSX to rebound steadily over the next few days. I would estimate for every 200 point rebound in the TSX, that Conservative support would go up 1% in all the polls.
Dean

You are most likely right, the only reason I figured that long was that it will take time for the Liberals and NDP to built up another war chest or pay for the present one. Also if the Conservatives do win Dion will be dropped into the lion's den by his own party ie. Ray and Ignatieff. Dion could buy some time if he can keep it close.
batb

Prime Minister Stephen Harper's campaign is not in decline.

This country is.

I'm mad as Hell that our media is interfering in this election. Their job is to report the news, not bend it out of shape to benefit any one political party.They've really overstepped their bounds.

The problem with Frankenstein's monster is that it eventually turns on the one who made it. The MSM in the long run won't get away with this. They may have to live with the severely negative consequences of, God-forbid, a Liberal government. If that happens, Canada's in the toilet.

At the top of my wish list? Stephen Harper and the CPC win a majority and the Right Honourable Stephen Harper lets loose and kicks butt.
Dean

You are most likely right, the only reason I figured that long was that it will take time for the Liberals and NDP to built up another war chest or pay for the present one. Also if the Conservatives do win Dion will be dropped into the lion's den by his own party ie. Ray and Ignatieff. Dion could buy some time if he can keep it close.
batb

Prime Minister Stephen Harper's campaign is not in decline.

This country is.

I'm mad as Hell that our media is interfering in this election. Their job is to report the news, not bend it out of shape to benefit any one political party.They've really overstepped their bounds.

The problem with Frankenstein's monster is that it eventually turns on the one who made it. The MSM in the long run won't get away with this. They may have to live with the severely negative consequences of, God-forbid, a Liberal government. If that happens, Canada's in the toilet.

At the top of my wish list? Stephen Harper and the CPC win a majority and the Right Honourable Stephen Harper lets loose and kicks butt.