1. I’ve always found it interesting that the polls which get attention are usually the abnormal ones. Case in found, today’s Gregg poll which has Harper up by 5. I think the general trend has the two parties in a dead heat so it’s best to assume that’s where they are.

2. On the whole “decade of darkness” discussion, thanks to SG for sending this in:

“I do not intend to dispute in any way the need for defence cuts and the need for government spending cuts in general…I do not share a not in by backyard approach to government spending reductions.”

– Stephen Harper, Hansard, May 23, 1995.
(Harper has since roundly criticized spending cuts in the mid-1990s.

3. Mad out of budget spending on the eve of an election? I’ve heard this story before…

4. The Hill Times has the weekly election spec.

5. There’s some talk floating around about Elizabeth May taking on Peter MacKay in Central Nova…with the Libs and Dippers not running candidates. Interesting…