Julien Newman | Election 2011: Making gains

I have been an active member of the NDP since the ripe age of 14 and I worked in many campaigns in my home ridding of Hull-Aylmer. Like everywhere else in Quebec at the time, the NDP didn’t have very bright electoral prospects. Over the years our results gradually improved and after Thomas Mulcair was elected in Montreal it became extremely exciting to be involved.

Right after graduating from school I went to work for the party. I wound up doing french communication at the NDP’s Election Headquarters until I left at the end of 2010. I worked on the party’s national campaign in the 2008 election and I am now involved in the NDP’s campaign in Gatineau – the next seat that we’re going to win in Quebec by defeating the sitting Bloc MP.

Now, despite all the buzz in the media about the inevitability of an election campaign I had placed a couple of bets with friends that it wouldn’t happen. I’m still around the Hill allot and it was obvious to me that none of the parties wanted one. So now that I find myself in the middle of a campaign I’m asking myself:  What happened?

The clear answer is that despite not necessarily wanting it, Stephen Harper preferred fighting a campaign than working with an other party to help Canadians. He is convinced that he can win.

For starters, Stephen Harper thinks that he can win an election if it is fought over the economy – in political jargon we call this a frame. What better tool than a budget engineered as an election platform to set the frame?

Michael Ignatieff has tried to impose his own frame by talking about ethics.

They have both missed the point. Why would Canadians be impressed with Stephen Harper when he is choosing to give tax breaks to big banks instead of helping out the people that elected him? How does Michael Ignatieff expect to get anyone to support the party of the sponsorship scandal by talking about ethics?

The only leader that stands to make gains among Canadians during this campaign is Jack Layton.

Ask Canadians what they’re thinking of when they vote and you will find that a single issue is top of mind: “Why doesn’t my Prime Minister do anything for me, not to buy my vote, but to give me a hand?”.

It makes sense, the point is to vote for someone who is going to lead the country and make life better for you. Now ask Canadians which leader they trust to be on their side and tackle their problems. You will understand why Jack Layton is going to make gains in this campaign.