It’s been an intense campaign so far.
For Justin Trudeau it was brown and black face. For Andrew Scheer it was job descriptions, dual citizenship and ejected candidates. The NDP leader has had to stand his ground. And the Greens were walking back their words following an anti-abortion slip from candidates.
It all leads up to Monday, where all federal leaders will square off in a televised debate.
“This has been a very surprising campaign in two ways, one how many surprises have there been for every of the major parties,” said Michael Prince, a political scientist from the University of Victoria.
“There have been setbacks and many scandals… and I think [in many] voters there is a fatigue, or disquiet… if anything they are being turned off not turned on by what they are seeing in the first few weeks of the campaign.”
So far polls show the conservatives and liberals neck and neck. Trudeau’s liberals are only ahead a few points — according to CBC’s Poll Tracker averages.
Photo: CBC News
The NDP follows with support around 14 per cent. Then there’s the Greens at 9.7 per cent and the Bloc at 5.1 per cent.
“Don’t live by the polls, and I think the pollsters would say that as well, you know read several polls just don’t rely on one, and one poll dose not give you more than a snapshot in time,” said Prince.
But will this debate set the score straight?
“Sometime we talk about a knockout punch in these… those are rare, those rarely happen in the history of debates,” said Prince.
“People are too scripted and prepared for that…. but there can often be a little soundbite, a message, and we live in an age of soundbite politics.”
More details on the debate and how to watch can be found here
Julian Kolsut
