- Reaction score
- 5,973
- Points
- 1,260
dapaterson said:Something merely anecdotal,but it may be a sign of a deeper malaise.
Traditionally, jobs like erecting posters along the roadside are handed off to the more junior members of the campaign staff. You know, the young volunteers not yet jaded or obsessed with power. A party without such low-level workers is indeed in trouble.
Imagine my surprise this evening when I saw a former cabinet minister, all by himself, pounding stakes into the ground so he could erect signs for his wife's bid. If the Liberals cannot find volunteers in Ottawa Centre and are resorting to having a former MND, David Collenette, putting up posters all by himself, there may be deeper problems within the Liberal party that this election will bring out.
More anecdotal sign evidence from the same riding (Ottawa Centre): I just walked from my home (a condo on the West edge of the downtown core) to my doctor's office in Chinatown. In my neighbourhood (a mix of highrise and new, lowrise (stacked 'townhouses') condos and single family homes - some occupied by seniors/owners and others by young renters - some of which are being 'collected' for future condo development) the signs were relatively few and far between but evenly mixed, about:
Cons: 2
Greens: 1
Libs: 2
NDP: 1
As I got into Chinatown the situation changed dramatically to:
Cons: 2
Greens: 0
Libs: 3
NDP: 15+
(And that does not count the (10+) Chinese food stores, bakeries and restaurants that have signs for all three main parties (but NO Green signs, at all, anywhere in Chinatown and I looked closely on the walk back home).)
I'm not surprised that our NDP MP (Paul Dewar) leads in Chinatown. Our City Councillor is hard working and popular, a good constituency 'ward heeler,' and a NDP stalwart who is working hard on Paul's behalf. But I am surprised at the poor showing of both the Conservative and Liberal candidates:
Brian McGarry, the Conservative, is a well known local businessman with a fairly high profile; he is the first really credible candidate the Conservatives have found in years and years. His poor performance in Chinatown is not too surprising: he made his money in the funeral business and many, many superstitious Asians - especially hyper-superstitious Chinese - would not want to even talk to someone who dealt with death, very bad luck!
But Penny Collenette is a Liberal STAR in a riding with strong Liberal roots and lots of Liberal workers - at least there should be lots of Liberal workers. I'm surprised she hasn't plastered the area with signs, other Liberals have done so in past elections campaigns. I wonder: no money to buy signs or no volunteers to put them up?