Canada PM set to call Oct 19 election, focus on sluggish economy

It promises to be a historic, costly and likely nasty campaign that could determine the political futures of all three main party leaders.

If the Liberals do lose votes, Brownsey says it will likely be to the NDP.

While Harper, the longest serving Conservative prime minister since the 19th century, has parlayed a strong economic record into political success, he has become increasingly vulnerable on that front.

There are 338 seats up for grabs.

“All of the opposition parties represent a different approach from the government”, Harper said.

This is Harper’s fifth national campaign as leader (he lost in his first outing, in 2004). Harper’s party passed legislation in which a finance minister who records a budget deficit would be called on the carpet at a Commons committee to explain how to fix it. The government has struggled to press ahead with the construction of new energy infrastructure, a key priority for Harper, the latest blow coming this week after a Republican senator, citing sources, said President Barack Obama will reject TransCanada Corp.’s Keystone XL pipeline project next month.

Strict enforcement began in 2007 under the Harper government.

Garneau said this “disproportionately benefits the Conservatives, who have more cash on hand than they can legally spend within the normal election time line of 37 days”. Although the Tories did have a five point jump in yesterday’s Ipsos poll to 33% to put them behind Thomas Mulcair’s NDP by one point, with the Liberals led by Justin Trudeau falling four points to 25%, I don’t think the Tories should be jumping for joy especially if Liberal numbers continue to skid.

Harper rolled the dice Sunday, apparently believing that a long campaign will give him the time – in hard-hitting attack ads and through his own performance on the hustings – to convince voters that it’s too risky to opt for change.

Trudeau has promised his party’s ads will avoid low personal blows and focus on comparative policies, while the NDP has already released a sharp-edged ad that draws attention to ethical scandals that have plagued the governing Conservatives.

Not everyone thinks the campaign will be too long.

Under federal law, Harper was obliged to schedule a campaign that lasts a minimum of five weeks.

Every day the campaign is extended, the federal limit on party spending goes up $600,000, he said.

In Okanagan-Shuswap, the candidates are Conservative Mel Arnold, Liberal Cindy Derkaz, Green Chris George and Jacqui Gingras, with the NDP.

Taxpayers will be on the hook for 60 per cent of all the money spent during the election, thanks to an Elections Canada rebate offered to all parties and candidates.