[TorontoCon]

Where the hell is it? I'm getting a bit impatient. My local candidate is having a "canvassing blitz" this weekend and they should have some time to at least read the Conservative platform.

Anyone know when it will be officially released?

[Luke]

I'm shocked its not out yet either. I would've thought it would've been all over their website from the beginning.

[Cool Blue]

I don't recall having a platform book last time so I wouldn't be surprised if we didn't this time either.

[Big Tuna]

The election doesn't seem to be about policy anyway... why do they need one? :(

[kwlafayette]

There must be some strategy involved to releasing election platforms, no? I would think the trick is to release it late enough that people are still talking about it on election day. Also, I have noticed that it seems traditional for opposition parties to release their platforms first. I don't think we will see the Tory platform till closer to the the day.

[hatrock]

The Liberals released their platform this week. Is anyone even talking about it anymore?

The Conservatives should release it a week before. It will simply re-outline all the promises made during the campaign so voters don't forget about:

- Tax credit for first time home buyers
- Changes to Young Offenders Act to name criminals 14 and above
- Remove house arrests for specific crimes
- Today: Clamp down on text message gouging and spam

What we're seeing in this election again are the Liberals promising big grandiose schemes and ideas that only a bureaucrat or professor would understand, whereas the Conservatives are releasing policies that effect the average voter somehow.

Whenever politicians start announcing "billions this" and "billions that", the average Canadian has no idea what the heck that really means or what direct impact it will actually have. When you say, "You will receive an extra $100/month in tax credits" or "you're family will save $3000/year on major purchases (GST cut, etc.), then that really hits home and people remember that.

A platform release a week before will allow folks to simply compare grandiose schemes to simple direct policies.

It's simple marketing 101.

Layton tries to do this on occasion, but it just doesn't stick.

[Cool Blue]

[TorontoCon]

All I have to say is that it better be an ambitious platform to last a 4 year mandate.

[Cool Blue]

[Mac]

[Cool Blue]

It sounds like they're also going for labour mobility too.

[kwlafayette]

It really does confirm my suspicion that the Liberal war room really does believe that the problem is as simple as they have not found the right promise yet. I do not know how they can continue to believe that. Guys like WK are also still a big part of the problem. I mean, how many times can you hear some old back roomer insist how lily white it all was when you know what total BS that is? It just turns people off the Liberal brand, and prevents the real rebuilding from even beginning. The first step is admitting that there is an actual problem, and then you have to take responsibility and start making amends.

Not one Liberal has ever accepted any responsibility for anything. Not one Liberal has ever tried to make amends. Heck, they have not even admitted that they ever did anything wrong, so what do you expect?

[TorontoCon]

I liked today's announcement a lot. Piping up the North. I'm curious to see if the Conservatives pick up Nunavut and the Northwest Territories this time around. Hey... it's two seats...

There will be more to come this eve when he is in Etobicoke. Likely something to appeal to the soccer mom crowd.

[SFrank85]

The plan is to release the platform in the final week. In 2004, the Conservatives had a problem because they ran out of script in 2004, and it caused the Harper to idle around for the final couple of weeks.

[TorontoCon]

Thanks SFrank85.

Today, the NDP release theirs. Sharpen your pencils!