The first week of the election campaign has ended with a multitude of polls showing a statistical tie between the Liberal and Conservative parties. The NDP maintains its support and scores well in Ontario. The Bloc Québécois, on the other hand, is getting similar support to the 2019 general election.
Erin O'Toole, leader of the Conservative Party, succeeded in imposing his campaign themes by being one of the first leaders to unveil a complete platform of proposals. The Liberals, for their part, have set a steady campaign pace with multiple events every day.
The battle in Quebec is shaping up to be a battle between the Liberal Party and the Bloc Québécois, particularly in the 20 or so ridings that could make a difference. The NDP will try to add one or two seats, as they currently have only one. The Conservative party, on the other hand, appears to be stuck in a winnable range of 7 to 11 seats again. The party will need to increase its support considerably if it hopes to break through the 12-seat ceiling that appears to be attainable.
With the exception of the Bloc Québécois, which is campaigning solely in Quebec, the so-called "national" parties have all done a good job of making their proposals and maintaining consistency between their commitments in Quebec and in the rest of the country. The Conservatives and Liberals have added announcements on Quebec issues, but these have been well framed within their overall proposals.
The next two weeks will be marked by activities across the country, the start of advertising campaigns and the start of political attacks. These weeks will lead up to the leaders' debates which will be, as usual, key moments.
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