Polls are for the dogs, Diefenbaker once said, and one poll does not a trend make. However, the polls consistently show the Tories in the lead -- even tied with the Bloc in Québec, an unpredecented accomplishment for a non-Quebec leader like Harper. I have not seen a poll in months in which the Conservative Party was not in first place, but the size of the lead differs each time.
Stories of Liberal infighting dominate political talk shows. Even the Lukiwski affair isn't resonating, despite the media's insistance on showing that is indicative of a "hidden agenda" that Canadians still seem to fear (according to Jane Taber, anyway). It doesn't need to be said again -- what Lukiwski said is repugnant. But it was 16 years ago at a hack booze-up at Saskatchewan Tory party headquarters. Anyone who's ever worked at a campaign office and been part of one of these late afternoon "parties" knows people are tired and venting and say dumb things all the time. I have never seen an apology as effusive and contrite as Lukiwski's last week. There's no doubt he was sincere; he has already paid a steep price for this.
The media continue to disappoint. The Prime minister worked for and earned a big win for Canada at the NATO summit -- a commitment from France and the U.S.A. to send more troops to Afghanistan. He convinced the allies to help us out. Yet, unless I missed something, I'm not seeing a whole lot of positive media coverage for this not unconseriderable achievement. More fun to dwell on Lukiwski, I suppose, and what Harper might say to the media. (Harper even came in for a round of criticism for
not talking after visiting Aschwitz. The
horror.)
All this is to say: I'm frustrated! Polls show the Conservatives in the lead, but not breaking the 40% mark. Liberal infighting hasn't been this ugly since the mid-1980s. The Government continues to govern inoffensively and steadily. No one seems to want to trigger an election, but one has been needed for some time. I'm not sure how this current government can last until October 2009, but it increasingly looks like it will.
