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History rarely repeats itself, but it does rhyme.

Long before Justin Trudeau ever contemplated a life in politics, his father stoked the embers of Western alienation that would give rise to the Reform movement. Driven by a fiery hatred for the legacy of Pierre Elliott Trudeau, Reform MPs like Stephen Harper led the unified Conservative Party that governed Canada until Monday night.

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While it's too early to say whether there will be a higher overall voter turnout this election, the indications look positive.

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There is something rich -- and richly ironic -- hearing Stephen McNeil fret about the number of voters who didn't bother to cast ballots in last week's three provincial byelections.

McNeil, after all, chose the date. He could have called the byelections for late spring when voters might conceivably have been more engaged. Instead, he picked a day in the sunny middle of barbecue/beer/beach/backyard/school break/summer vacation season. Why? Because low voter turnout favours the party in power.