Again, the economy is, and always will be, THEE major campaign issue. And that has been corroborated by various public opinion polls. Unfortunately, the Cons have always led on that same issue - TO THIS DATE - for whatever reason. How to overcome the Cons apparent dominance on that issue?! Just look to the recent BC May election campaign whereby Chrusty Clark consistently ran on the economy and jobs and overcame a 20% NDP lead! In that regard, just last week, Petronas announced a $36 billion LNG investment in BC and the MSM stated that the federal NDP will oppose same in Parliament. And that is the impression that will be left with the BC voter. Not good. I have already stated herein that THAT would result in political suicide in BC for the federal NDP. Again, in terms of the economy - even the BC NDP supported BC LNG and still lost on the economy issue! As a result of the federal NDP opposing LNG in BC in the recent MSM, the federal NDP has put themselves even further behind the economy 8-ball compared to the BC NDP. Can't believe that they have not yet learned anything from the BC campaign. In politics, voter perception is everything. If I were Tom Mulcair, I would run a campaign that combines issues like the economy and trust. Mr. Mulcair can state that the economy is in a shambles
Thanks, Centrist. I am a believer that people vote based roughly on Maslow's hierarchy of needs. That means that people will vote on which party or candidate will help improve their own lives first. Which party will ensure that I have decent food, shelter, and clothing? "Decent" is a relative term. That could mean a party helping a family afford to move from an apartment to a single-detached house. The Conservatives have generally done well selling their message on families' basic needs.
If a party starts campaigning on climate change, it had better make a strong connection between the negative effects and Canadians' immediate needs. If climate change affects polar bears, that won't matter as much to voters as climate change affecting personal incomes.
I don't suggest that the NDP campaign on some macro-economic theory. When I suggest that the NDP campaign on the economy, I do suggest that the party pick specific points about the economy that affects families personally such as having decent jobs.