maplesyrup

from todays globe and mail Tories risk voter backlash, PM says - Working in tandem with Bloc will make potential supporters reconsider, he warns. I could only think about one thing when Martin said that: Jean Lapierre, Bloc Founder

Can you please provide the source for such a claim? What pundits? What did they actually say? Politics with Don Newman - it was the general consensus that no one knows who will win. Sorry to disappoint. I have a hunch that Belinda will win, but it is just a hunch, nothing scientific.

I listened to the poitical pundits today and they gave that last weekend Compas poll short shrift. It is anybodys game.

This is Canada. We do things differently, eh?

falling leaf....why do you think the NDP is now tied with Liberals in BC?

Since harper became leader of Alliance, he lost 11 by-elections in a row.

springer....that is incorrect. Former leaders do not usually endorse candidates. Manning is obviously supporting Belinda and has done done everything but come out and endorse her. I'm sure there will be lots of other big names endorsing Belinda this week. Cheers,

Gilles Duceppe, Bloc leader said today on CTV QP that the Bloc would never enter a formal coaltion, and he also stated that none of their members would become ministers in any federal government as that would defeat their purpose.

Dennis.....do you have any idea what Harper's baggage is?

Normally former leaders do not endorse candidates. They just help out, or make it obvious who they wish to see win, by, for example, showing up to their events. Manning has done everything he can do to endorse Belinda without actually saying so.

Personally I am not into labelling people. I believe it would be great if the Liberals could be held to a minority government, but for that to happen Conservatives need to show some strength. The Martin Liberals will mop the floor with Harper's baggage.

I just listened to CTV Question Period and the opinions of their political pundits. It appears to me that the Conservatives are making a huge mistake in choosing Stephen Harper as their leader. My reasoning is all the baggage Harper is carrying around from his past, with such statements as putting up a "Firewall around Alberta", the Eastern antagonism he created with his remarks about "the Atlantic Provinces", which was so severe that "the NS Legislature passed a motion to unanimously condemned him", and his severe viewpoint towards Quebeckers, to mention a few items. These above issues will be exploited to the max by the opposition in the upcoming election campaign. And apart from that, how many Conservative members and supporters, will leave the new party, if Harper is chosen leader on March 20th? I believe that the Conservatives will be committing a huge mistake, and quite frankly feel they have a death wish, if they don't choose Belinda Stronach, as their new leader next weekend.

Re: Manning's endorsement of Belinda. This endorsement come out of the blue. No one seemed to be aware of it till now. It has shaken up a lot of Harper's supporters.

Let's put it this way: the residents of the Atlantic region were so offended the Nova Scotia Legislature passed an unanimous motion against him and/or what he said. The Liberals are already at 49% in the polls there. If Harper wins the CPC leadership the Liberal strength might increase. There is lots of information on the 'net about it. Just do a google search on"harper defeatist", and you will see what I mean. It's a big issue.

I think the election will revolve around two issues: 1 the Liberals will attempt to smear the Conservatives under Harper with intolerance. 2 the Conservatives will attempt to smear the Liberals with corruption. 3 the NDP will be above the fray.

Interesting the way Manning's endorsement of Belinda came out. Mulroney publically is remaining neutral probably because he was prime minister, privately however, I have heard that he has been helping Belinda.

The largest voter migration in Canadian history was when the PC government went from 160+ seats to 2. What year was that when the Tories went from 160+ seats to 2 seats? Was that when Kim Campbell took over from Mulroney, and Chretien became prime minister?

Adrienne's duties: represent the Crown and ensure there is always a prime minister act on advice of prime minister and cabinet ministers to give royal assent to bills passed in the Senate and House of Commons (only once has a Governor General of Canada gone against such advice: in 1926, Lord Byng refused Prime Minister Mackenzie King's request to dissolve Parliament) sign state documents read throne speech preside over swearing in of prime minister, chief justice and cabinet ministers - from gg's website

Not being a member of any political party I have no inside knowledge of what takes place in the backrooms of Canada's political parties. Looking at it from the outside, the external optics might give the impression that the Alliance has taken over the PCs. I had thought it was a bad idea for either Harper or MacKay to go for the leadership of the new party. Will a lot of PCs now leave the new party? If some do leave, how many will leave, and where will they go?

It's hard to believe in some ways that Martin would call an election soon, with all the difficulties the Liberals seem to be having these days. Maybe the polls will tell him he should wait for a year or a year and a half before facing the electorate.

I was listening to Ed Broadbent being interviewed on the radio this morning. He stated that the NDP are at 17-18% right now, and expects them to come out of the election with 21-22%, and with more seats than the NDP has ever held in the past. He also stated that logging communities and mining communities are traditional NDP areas, and he expects the NDP to do well in these rural communities.

Not a very good approach, if that's the case, but don't think it is.

The issue is he cannot speak French.

I think there is one - where was Jack Layton born?

We don't know for sure what the issues will be in the next election. It may revolve around tolerance.