I haven't felt this way since the Charlottetown referendum. I think the people are going to give the middle finger to the establishment. What's going on? Two things. First, a majority of Canadians intensely dislike Stephen Harper and want to see the back of him. He has triumphed, in the past, only because the Liberal party was seen as a terrible alternative and was presented as the only alternative by the elites. That view is changing.
Second, I think Harper overplayed the Bloc as boogeyman. He, in essence, said that no legitimate government could exist with them as players. So, Quebecois said, "Fine, then we'll elect the NDP." Once Quebec started to go and the numbers started turning the NDP's way, that made it easier to see the race as multifaceted and not a binary choice. After that, came the wave. And it still seems to be building.
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It's not been unknown to happen...
ReplyDeleteI think the fact that Harper is in my riding today shows he is a worried man.
ReplyDeleteHe should be worried.
ReplyDeleteBecause the old map has been torn up and set on fire. Doesn't mean he'll be fired, necessarily -- although he certainly could be -- just that the resource deployment, which was set based on a strong Liberal opposition, now doesn't match the situation on the ground.
I'm really curious as to how my hometown shakes out. Does the downtown go Dipper, the midtown Tory? Or does it all go Dipper? Where do the Liberal Bay Street boys throw their votes?
Does the phrase "Prime Minister Jack Layton" appeal to the formerly virulently anti-Harper Blue Grits? (It could!)
On that note, Greg -- decided which way you're voting?
ReplyDeleteIs a strategic Grit vote still in the cards, or do you stick with the old ship (as its ship comes in!)?
I won't decide until I am in the booth.
ReplyDeleteGiven the shifting polls, that's probably wise...
ReplyDeleteStill building -- Forum Research has the Tories up 34-31 on the NDP.
ReplyDeleteYes, that's right -- you just broke 30.