NDP stronger than you’d think, strategist says
REGINA — In all things competitive, it’s not over until it’s over.
And that includes federal politics.
Brad Lavigne, NDP senior campaign adviser, says the work on the 2015 federal election has only just begun. Despite recent polls, which put Stephen Harper’s Conservative Party and Justin Trudeau’s Liberals ahead of the NDP, he says the New Democrats are confident they have what it takes to take power.
“Worry about where the puck is going, not where it was,” said Lavigne.
He said he’s not worried about what the polls are saying because the election is still seven months away.
Even without Jack Layton, Lavigne says the NDP is the alternative to Stephen Harper and the Conservatives in Canada.
“Not only is it important to know of the momentum that has been built, but it’s vital to talk about how we are going to continue that momentum and to fulfil the project, as Jack Layton had called it, in electing a NDP in October,” said Lavigne. “When you look at the NDP’s position right now, they only need a handful of seats to form a minority government. Other opposition parties need double that.”
He said current polls don’t tell the real story about what is happening in Saskatchewan and in Canada.
Lavigne said when looking at the results of the last four federal elections it tells a different tale.
“The NDP vote just in the province alone gained over 40,000 votes in the last federal election alone,” he said.
He said he believes the momentum has started and the NDP plans to continue pushing forward with Tom Mulcair.
“Although Jack was a very important part of the 2011 election you also need to note that Jack was also the leader when we got much less votes,” said Lavigne. “He was the leader in the last four federal elections. While people loved the messenger, (we) also think they appreciated the message.”
He said the NDP plans to continue the work Layton started.
“Today, Tom Mulcair is doing better than Jack Layton ever did between election campaigns,” said Lavigne.
“I’m certainly bullish on (his) ability to seize on that particularly as more and more people get to know him.”
He said the NDP plans on doing what it has relied on in the past and that is hard work involving door-knocking and getting out into the community.
Lavigne believes the new federal boundaries also work in the NDP’s favour this time around.
“The historical trajectory for the New Democrats in Regina and Saskatchewan is an upwards trajectory,” he said.
“This is the starting point and there are opportunities that need to be seized.”