A visit to give a speech and take questions from students at Université Laval in Quebec City was Gilles Duceppe's fifth campus stop since the start of the election campaign.

He is trying to raise the interest of a generation of voters who he believes will be attracted to his support for sovereignty and socially progressive public policy. Voters 18 to 25 are statistically less likely to vote than people who are older, no matter what their political leanings.

Duceppe warned the crowd of some 300 students, not voting might lead to a majority government for Stephen Harper's Conservatives.

While he garnered lots of cheering, Duceppe appears not to have the youth vote entirely in the bag.

After his speech, Duceppe took a few questions from the floor. First up to the mic, a young man who remarked the only thing he sees Stephen Harper has done regarding youth is to promise to ensure more young offenders are sentenced as adults, a policy the Bloc has used as a primary target to attack the Conservatives. Then the student muttered, "Personally I think it's a great idea!" Then asked his question: "Why vote for the Bloc, anyway?"

Next up, another young man, who wanted to know if Duceppe thinks Parliament should offer Acadians the same recognition as the Québécois nation. He then went on to quip, "As for me, it's too late to win me over. I voted in advanced polling. Back in my own country."

— Tim Duboyce