I'm disappointed by the NDP decision, and I think it may actually hurt them. However, I feel quite confident that if the Lib and NDP polling numbers were reversed, Trudeau would be doing the exact same thing, because the Lib "campaign professionals" are at least as disgusting as the NDP ones.
I don't think so. I am very much looking forward to the Macleans debate coming up in exactly a week. However little an effect it has on the polls in mid-summer, this is Trudeau's first serious test on his "readiness". He doesn't have to win the debate but he can't seem lost for answers. Mulcair not knowing the corporate tax hasn't hurt him too much but if Trudeau makes a mistake like that it could hurt him much more. Trudeau has to prove he is prepared to take office. If he does then Liberal fortunes could eventuallly rise again as the campaign goes into full swing. If he flubs it badly it would not augur well for him because there is no more practice time. If he hasn't got it down now he's done for.
In the French debate Harper isn't important. He could win a few seats but he is very unpopular. The people Quebec wants to hear from are Mulcair, Trudeau and Duceppe.
The TVA debate Trudeau has not yet accepted nor declined isn't until Oct 6th so he has plenty of time to accept it. Now that Mulcair accepted, then declined, it would be quite odd for him to change his mind yet again.