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On Main Street, Bay Street — and fear

Political Bytes

Paul Hunter

Here's the line Stephen Harper suddenly finds himself walking these dwindling days before the vote:

On the one hand...

Harper wants to impress upon Canadians the need to vote Conservative to, in his view, protect the country from economic catastrophe (implicit in that: get the vote out!).

So tonight, in stern voices, his communications people were telling reporters that this election "is not a game" and that choosing who to vote for involves "major issues" and is a "major choice."

On the other hand...

Harper himself can't go too far down that path publicly because if he did, markets are liable to quickly react negatively. Possibly very negatively. (See: prophecies; self-fulfilling).

Campaigning as prime minister in uncertain economic times, it turns out, can be trickier than one might've imagined.

Paul Hunter