As many expected, Oct. 21 will be election day in Canada. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau did what many had expected he’d do last week, officially selecting the third Monday of next month as they day Canadians would have the opportunity to cast their ballot.
That gave politicians 41 days to ‘officially’ convince Canadians they’re the best man or woman for the job, whether it be as a local Member of Parliament or the big job in Ottawa. Of course, politicians have been unofficially campaigning for months now. With parliament now dissolved, we can now look forward to signs, signs and more signs popping up along roadsides from coast to coast. At the time of Trudeau’s election call, polls had him neck and neck with Conservative leader Andrew Scheer.
Polls should always be taken with a grain of salt, but at the very least they give a pretty good, albeit far from exact, indication where a country is leaning heading into the vote. Although in this case, it shows a country with no clear cut favourite in the very early stages of the campaign. There are some who are life-long, card carrying members of their particular party who decided long ago who they will vote for in this election, and likely several elections that will follow. Those citizens who have found a party that speaks to values and beliefs who they’ll support regardless of who wins their party’s nomination. It’s the undecided vote that’s really up for grabs this October.
How a party goes about trying to secure that vote could make all the difference. Yes there’s sure to be mud-slinging, digging into the past and a fair bit of theatrics over the next few weeks as politicians try to convince those undecided voters that their opponent is unfit for the job. That kind of strategy plays well with those who have already made up their minds, as it confirms what they already believe. Perhaps it’s wishful thinking, but a campaign that focuses on why a certain candidate believes he or she is right for the job would be a much more welcome sight as compared to one who can only offer reasons as to why their opponent shouldn’t get votes. A clear, realistic plan will play much better in the long run as compared to a sound bite or pull quote that reads like it was written by a late-night insult comic.
That’s not to ignore the other parties, as anything could happen. While the odds of anyone not from the Liberal or PC party being sworn in currently stand at less than 13 per cent, there’s always the local ridings to be contested. There’s still a chance for a community to have a voice in Ottawa speaking on behalf of their needs or desires, even if that MP carries the flag of the NDP, Green, Bloc Quebec, People’s Party of Canada or even an independent.
-Adam Prudhomme