Political parties prepare for lengthy election campaign ahead of Oct. 19 vote

Sources say Prime Minister Harper is poised to visit the governor general within days – possibly as soon as Sunday – to dissolve the 41st parliament. Those third parties can spend as much as they want on attack ads before the election campaign, but once an election is called, their spending comes under tight restrictions.

“It will just be a continuation of what we’re doing”.

Only Liberal candidate Paul Lefebvre registered to run in the byelection. That’s an extra $675,000 per day for each party’s national campaign, an additional $2,700 per day for their candidates.

That means parties must now brace for the prospect of one of the longest – and costliest – election campaigns in recent Canadian political history.

Under changes to the Canada Elections Act dating to 1993, Canadians who live overseas for more than five years lose their right to vote.

Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper listens to United States President Barack Obama deliver opening remarks to members of the Trans Pacific Partnership at the US Embassy in Beijing, China, on Monday, November 10, 2014.

“Campaigns are pretty basic”.

Beyond the debates, though, Harper is going to have to talk to the media and Canadians far more than he now does.

Tim Feehan, the Liberal campaign chair for northern Alberta, expects a slower start to the electoral battle if it begins this weekend instead of September. “They know they can outspend the other campaigns”. But if mistakes are by the Tories during the campaign, then the longer the white heat of scrutiny is shone upon them the more painful the burn.

He’d deal with that potential problem by bringing in more people for fewer shifts each week.

My personal belief is that Mr. Harper should have resigned last year so as to let the party choose another leader in time for the forthcoming election.

There’s also talk of a speaking tour similar to the whistlestop train trips leaders once took across the country, although not likely going by rail, he said.

“If we go early, at least the opposition can’t complain that we’re campaigning with tax dollars as the government…”

“He’s playing agenda-setting”, Conservative strategist Tim Powers said Thursday.

He’s keeping in shape and eating less meat and more vegetables to stay healthy for the grind ahead. His position, which has already been met with scepticism and criticism from those who think that it will not pass constitutional muster, is that he will simply refuse to appoint any more Senators for as long as possible.

The Conservatives and NDP, meanwhile, were polling at an average of 31.6 per cent and the Liberals at 26.1 per cent as of July 27, according to ThreeHundredEight.com for CBC News. Elections Canada estimates that tab topped $60 million.

An early writ-drop would also increase the spending limit for political parties beyond the $25-million limit for a 37-day campaign.