NDP sets sights on Trudeau in bid to recapture momentum

With their political momentum apparently stalled, the New Democrats plan to launch a course correction, shifting their strategy with a recalibrated campaign that includes sharper attacks on Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau.

CBC News has learned that the NDP will be buyingmore broadcast ads inan attemptto reverse a recent sag in the polls.

• NDP Leader Tom Mulcair preparing for all outcomes, including a minority
• Poll Tracker: Conservatives gain at NDP expense in Quebec, Ontario
• Conrad Black predicts NDP will 'slip' in Quebec
• Tom Mulcair could get help from at least 2 senators if NDP wins election

Not only can Canadians expect to see more ads, but the NDP plans to intensify campaigning in the days ahead, which includes more touring in southwesternOntario.

Mulcair: 'I leave the pomp to you Justin'

9 years ago

Duration 0:32

Tom Mulcair gets in a zinger as Justin Trudeau discusses the NDP's cap-and-trade system at the Munk debate on foreign policy.

Thisnew strategy would move away from comparing NDP policy with the Liberal plansand instead highlight the issue ofleadership who would makethe best prime minister.

The idea is to demonstrate TomMulcair is a stronger leader than Trudeau, to knock down his support a few pointsandto reducethe Liberal leader'slikability quotient in EnglishCanada.

Anti-Trudeau radio ads

To that end, the party has just launched a series ofanti-Trudeauradio ads, which include attacking the Liberal leaderoverhis support for C-51, the controversial anti-terrorism legislation that gives more power to Canada's security forces.

The other ads accuse Trudeau of being hostile to the autoand manufacturing sectors and slam him forcharging thousands of dollars ofspeaking fees for appearances at school boards and charities.

The party has also seen its support decline inQuebec, a province where it's crucial for the party to at leastretain its seat countfor any hopes of a victory. The NDPbelieves it has been hurt by the so-called niqab issue andopposition to the Conservative government's ban on wearing the face veil while taking the Canadian citizenship oath. Polls suggest a vast majority of Canadians support the Tories on this issue, but the strongest support isin Quebec.

The party is hoping to turn the attention ofQuebecersaway from the niqab issue andback to what it seesas the most significantballot question whether Quebec voterswant Conservative LeaderStephen Harper to remain as prime minister.

The NDP slide comes weeks afterMulcairkickedoff his "campaign for change," running what many perceived as a traditional front-runner's race. Just last weekend, Mulcair was telling CBC'sChris Hall of The House that he was consultingwith experts and preparingto form a minority government after the Oct. 19 election.

But recent polls suggest the NDP's political fortunes, especially themomentum it had inQuebec,hassince softened.

After weeks of the Conservatives, Liberals and NDP in a virtual tie, theCBC Poll Trackernow shows the widest gap between first and third place since Sept. 8.

CBC polling analyst ric Grenier says the numbers show the NDP slipping to the third spotbehind the Liberals, whosesupport appears to be holding steady. He saidvoters who are more concerned about defeating Harper than they are for voting for the party of their choicecould decide to flock to the Liberals.

The cause of the softening of support may be hard to discern. Mulcairhas been critical of theClarity Actlegislation that calls for a "clear majority" resultif Quebec were to vote on secession. Instead, he haschampioned the NDP's own unity billthat would recognize areferendum victory by the yes side, even if it were by a majority of 50 per cent plus one, a position that presumably would gain him support among sovereigntists.

Opposition to ISIS mission

He has also opposed Bill-C51 and Canada's military mission against ISIS in Iraq, whichinvolvesairstrikes and training local ground troops. Mulcair hasvowedto bring home all Canadians from that mission.

On the first issue, Mulcair is likely on side with many Quebecers, but it's unclear ifhis opposition to the ISIS mission is also resonating in the province, which traditionallyshows the least support for military action.Indeed, Bloc Qubcois Leader Gilles Duceppehas come out strongly in support of military intervention.

Although Mulcair'sopposition tothe Conservative ban on the niqab may have hurt the NDP's standing in Quebec, it's not clear why the issue hasn't also affectedTrudeau, also an opponent to the ban, whohas arguably been more vocal about it.

It's possible that Mulcair has been stung by repeated criticisms fromboth Trudeauand Duceppe that Mulcair is a political opportunist and hasflip-floppedon a number of issues. Both claim that Mulcairtakes one position for a Calgary audienceand another while speaking in Quebec, a charge Mulcair has denied.

But the drop in supportmay also suggest that the Orange Wave that took hold in Quebecandpropelled Jack Layton into the role of the Official Opposition leaderwas built in large part to Layton's personality, something Mulcair has been unable to replicate.