It’s day No. 66 of the federal election campaign. I’ve seen the “Justin – He’s just not ready” television attack ad against Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau only 714 times since the campaign began. (Admittedly, I don’t watch much TV).
There were times when I was tempted to throw my remote through the television when I saw the ad twice during the same commercial break.
I’ve also watched Trudeau’s bland rebuttal ad, Tom Mulcair’s effort to counter the “angry Tom” reputation he has earned over the years, and a truly putrid effort by a union to target Prime Minister Stephen Harper with a “he’s just not ready” ad. (Imitation is the most sincere form of flattery).
There have been English language debates that proved to be interesting, but lacked the knockout punch. There were a couple French language debates, but I skipped those because I didn’t have my French-English dictionary from my French immersion years handy.
Sixty-six days down. Twelve to go.
While the campaign has been long, it has had its captivating and unpredictable moments. For the first time in history, there are three parties that have a legitimate shot of forming government.
At the start of the campaign, it appeared Mulcair’s New Democratic Party (NDP) might break through the electoral glass ceiling and form government. There was even an expectation they might ride an “Orange Wave” to a majority government.
Then it became a dead heat among the three parties, as they were hovering around 30 per cent support. Currently the Liberals and the Tories are taking turns assuming the role of front-runner, but nobody is ruling out the NDP.
For those who believe in voting for the party and not for the candidate, it reinforces the need to vote on Oct. 19. There could also be strategic voting, as people could vote against a party. There’s the “Stop Harper” crowd who will cringe in the Tories win, the “Justin’s Not Ready” crowd who fear the potential diplomatic black eyes caused by Prime Minister Trudeau Jr., and the people who are worried about the fiscal policies of Mulcair and the NDP.
Hopefully, the tight race will yield the highest voter turnout since 1997, when 67 per cent of eligible voters exercised their democratic right.
Regardless of what happens, Canadians can look forward to a minority government.
For those who share my belief in voting for the candidate who will do the best job of representing the constituency, we’ll have a different focus. One of the factors can be voting for the candidate who will be part of government, but since three parties still have a legitimate shot, that strategy might not be the best idea.
Two candidates in Souris-Moose Mountain have established themselves as strong choices. Dr. Robert Kitchen is trying to keep the constituency in Tory hands. He’s a well-respected individual in the Estevan area who has had a presence in other parts of the region through his chiropractor practice.
This riding is a Tory stronghold, and the common belief was that Kitchen would face a stiffer challenge from the Tory nomination meeting than the election itself.
But Vicky O’Dell of the NDP has been very impressive throughout the campaign. She has shown a strong work ethic and a desire to be the next MP. For the first time in over a decade, an NDP or Liberal candidate isn’t taking defeat for granted.
As for the other candidates, the Green Party’s Bob Deptuck is providing his typical game effort, while the Liberals’ Steve Bebbington has had little presence during the campaign.
Regardless of how you intend to vote, we all have 12 more days until election day Oct. 19. It can’t come soon enough.
