Campaign Logistics

[August1991]

If I were involved in campaign logistics, I would have the English candidate start in Newfoundland and move west to BC during the day. The candidate could sleep on the plane at night going back east. The same cycle could repeat itself every day.

Then again, maybe the leader in venues, at organized events, is not the way to run a campaign. Who cares where the leader is? A few people shake his hand. So what?

It's what people see on their screen that matters most. Halifax or Vancouver. What's the best backdrop for the message?

But then, blue screen is doable - and everyone knows about it. What if a candidate said that she/he used a Halifax backdrop to make the announcement but wasn't really in Halifax? (What's the difference? Why have several hundred people travel to Halifax for a one hour photo op?)

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After going to the GG, Stephen Harper and his RCMP retinue/PMO staffers travelled to Quebec City. Advance people arrived days before to organize it.

Why? Why this mindless, hectic travelling about the country during political campaigns?

We no longer live in a country dependent on TV or radio for information.

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I somehow fear that we judge our leaders according to their ability to withstand physical punishment in the same way men judge women according to their breast size. We are using an outdated measure to judge a more basic characteristic.

[Harry Hayfield]

If I was the campaign managers for the various parties I would make the following suggestions:

Conservatives: Send your local candidates to the existing 143 ridings you hold at the moment. If a sitting MP has announced they intend to stand down in a riding, then get the highest ranking local Conservative to tag along with the new candidate. The Prime Minister should visit each of the 12 target seats they need to gain (to win an overall majority) at least three times during the campaign and attempt to visit all 12 within 24 hours prior to the polls opening

Liberals: "Sir" I would say to the Liberal leader, "in order to win an overall majority, we need to gain 78 ridings. That requires a swing to us of 11.5% or in other words we would need to be leading in the polls by no less than 12%. The current polls suggest that we are trailing by 7%. Therefore do not talk about being able to form a majority government, the electorate will simply not believe it. If you want to become Prime Minister, you need to be able to gain a minimum of 34 ridings (which will be possible on a 5% swing), however I would recommend getting a 6% swing (which would gain 42 ridings and have the added benefit of ensuring that the Liberals not only had the most seats in Parliament but the most popular votes. It was this statement that Nick Clegg, the leader of your British counterparts recognised when the British election produced a hung parliament. You could then use that position to start talking to either the NDP or the Bloc. Finally, I would advise that you be completely honest and say that if you are unable to command an overall majority through the ballot box, you would invite the leaders of the NDP and the Bloc to dicussions about the formation of a coalition government from the start"

NDP: Keep the 37 ridings you have at the moment and concentrate all your firepower on Saskatoon, Rosetown and Biggar, South Shore and St. Margaret's, St John's South and Mount Pearl, Gatineau, Surrey North and Vancouver Island North. Those are the top six NDP targets and in association with keeping the 37 you hold at the moment, would enable you to prove that the NDP can grow.

Bloc: Dans un monde idéal, je serais bien sûr dire «Gagnez toutes les circonscriptions du Québec », mais qui exigerait un swing de 25,64% (ce qui est tout simplement impossible!). Ce que je vais dire, c'est que vous visez les objectifs onze premiers et le but de gagner circonscriptions globale de soixante.

Greens: The campaign needs to about three things only. Guelph, Central Nova and Vancouver Centre. We are falling behind our international colleagues. Look at Britain in the last ten years they have elected ten Greens to national office. There were six Greens in the Scottish Parliament elections in 2003, a Green was elected in Northern Ireland's Assembly in 2007 and last year the Greens won a riding for the federal parliament in Brighton for the first time ever. We need to win a riding!

Edited March 27, 2011 by Harry Hayfield

[Michael Hardner]

Harry has addressed August's central question: candidates concentrate on the areas where they can do the most good.

But then, blue screen is doable - and everyone knows about it. What if a candidate said that she/he used a Halifax backdrop to make the announcement but wasn't really in Halifax? (What's the difference? Why have several hundred people travel to Halifax for a one hour photo op?)

Ridiculous. How would this fly in Halifax ?

After going to the GG, Stephen Harper and his RCMP retinue/PMO staffers travelled to Quebec City. Advance people arrived days before to organize it.

Why? Why this mindless, hectic travelling about the country during political campaigns?

They have a strategy, and logistics. There is a plan.

We no longer live in a country dependent on TV or radio for information.

What do we depend on ? Newspapers ? The web ? I think TV is still the king.

I somehow fear that we judge our leaders according to their ability to withstand physical punishment in the same way men judge women according to their breast size. We are using an outdated measure to judge a more basic characteristic.

We COULD judge the parties on their ideas. As I have already pointed out on another thread, this seems to be a strange idea these days as evidenced by this thread - ie. one more thread about the election but not the policies being proposed. This is what enthralls people about elections - the fight, but not the ideas.