Can we please hurry spring. We would like some nice weather for an election campaign. And do not look surprised. For months, readers of this blog have known there will be an election called before the end of March. It has to be true. MP Dan McTeague told us so. If he can get the gas prices right, who would question his election call?
While the news media have tried to promote the NDP’s Jack Layton as a spoiler in the possible election, this strategy seems to have fallen through. Despite his recent health problems, Jack is his old and spunky self and spoiling to get into the election fray.
Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff is certainly ready to take on all comers and there is ammunition aplenty for him to lambaste Prime Minister Stephen Harper. In turn, Harper is desperately looking for some high ground above the quagmire his party has created for him. Between, lying and error prone ministers and telling people that things cost half of what is later revealed, Harper is going to have trouble staying on script for the election as the best manager of our tax money.
A particularly interesting local fight might just be the one here in Babel. The incumbent will have a hard time keeping his seat. As a big spender of our money, sending myriad mailers promoting his re-election, the incumbent has accomplished nothing in Ottawa for the voters in his riding. He missed an ideal opportunity last year to create a permanent national command centre in the riding for emergency operations. He has been so busy trying to ensure his re-election that he has no understanding of how Ottawa works.
Political people in the riding are suddenly realizing that the guy they considered a sacrificial lamb for the federal Liberals in the election is the likely winner. They are re-evaluating the support they have shown him.
Luckily the naysayers on the board of the federal Liberal association had already quit the board leaving the candidate with his key supporters in control. That is going to make things easier for the campaign team. The Liberal candidate is going to surprise people.
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