When it comes to the early election date, you would have to be an idiot not to find it surprising. On the one hand, Philippe Couillard’s Liberals said it would tie the hands of the opposition parties, ensuring a clear decision. On the other hand, giving them almost four more months to fine-tune their platform, strategies and messaging, before the next election, gives them an enormous leg up in the never-ending countdown. And yet, as we move into our hypothetical election period, there is nothing about today’s announcement that would make me optimistic. In fact, the very prospect of an election seems to compound the Conservatives’ difficulties. The discussion has been diverted from the issues at hand, and stuck in parsing of Couillard’s pre-election campaign vows to show how “honest” he is.
Instead, Quebecers are talking about grandstanding. They are wondering if the election will actually take place, and if it does, how Couillard can avoid a loss, without being seen as controlling a cynical manoeuvre to get a better deal, possibly paid for by a recent court ruling. It’s a head-scratcher on both sides. Even more galling is how these trivial issues took over the news for most of the weekend. How can they expect voters to stay engaged when all they are talking about are attacks on women in power, and party platforms that don’t have any meat on them?
[Image via mediazelco]
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