Featur e
before him as “strategic voting” practices benefitted the Lib- erals? To the credit of those involved, including Mr. Layton himself, the campaign improved steadily as each day passed. Their communications team was focused and their message on point. The materials and responses were clear, edgy, and relevant.
Throughout the three successive minority governments, Mr. Layton had been steadily increasing his personal popularity, polling high on questions about leadership and who Canadians believed would make the best Prime Minister.
The NDP made significant political hay of the incum-
bents’ House of Commons attendance, suggesting that these incumbents had begun to take their public support for grant- ed. This message particularly resonated with a recession-wea- ry public who still faced high unemployment numbers. No one took this issue more squarely on the chin than Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff who had the worst attendance re- cord of all MP’s, missing 135 votes in the final session of the last Parliament. Some attribute the clever timing of Mr. Lay- ton’s “zinger” on Ignatieff and the way in which he delivered
44 Campaigns & Elections | Canadian Edition
it during the nationally televised English language Leader’s debate, as the turning point of the election. "If you want to be prime minister, you'd better learn how to be a member of Parliament first." Layton said. "You know, most Canadians, if they don't show up for work, they don't get a promotion. You missed 70 per cent of the votes." Ignatieff ’s feeble response, that he had no lessons to learn about democracy from Layton, provided the compare and contrast opportunity that Layton and his Team wanted the voters to see. By the platform launch, it was clear that the voters and the media were watching Mr. Layton’s every movement. His apparent rise in popularity put the microscope on him, the Party and the platform. Would it withstand the newly intensi- fied scrutiny? The NDP Team consciously directed all focus on Mr. Layton – he was their biggest asset and his popularity only growing. This campaign, as they often do, came down to the Leader. It was apparent to me that Layton was a changed man from the one the public had known and watched for years. While his experiences had certainly altered him physi- cally, it was the slight yet profound change on the image that he projected to Canadians which was most captivating. The difference came across as he spoke. He spoke to the crowd gathered and watching at home not as a politician, but as a person. The town hall events suited this conversation style well. Beyond his health struggles, he spoke as a grandfather, and as a son, and a husband, and as a survivor. Mr. Layton himself was changed; he now spoke from a place of empathy rather than sympathy. His connection with Canadians was profoundly deeper for the honesty of those moments. He had a new and confident step in his cane-aided hobbled stride.
Picture courtesy of
www.ndp.ca
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