If it feels like the North Shore has been getting a lot of attention from the federal party leaders this election, it’s because it has.
For those keeping score, Stephen Harper has visited our side of Burnaby North-Seymour twice, to make campaign announcements at Seycove secondary and Canlan Ice Sports. He also came to Seaspan in North Vancouver.
Justin Trudeau, meanwhile, has held events in West Vancouver twice as well as two in North Vancouver, including a hike up the Grouse Grind. While here, he likes to play up his roots (his mother is from Lynn Valley, grandfather James Sinclair represented the North Shore in parliament, and he used to mountain bike here).
With her “star candidates” running here on the North Shore, Elizabeth May has made numerous campaign stops in North Vancouver and West Vancouver.
Thomas Mulcair has yet to brave the bridge traffic but there’s still a month left of the election.
The number of appearances a leader makes in a riding gives you an idea of how winnable they think it might be. A visit from The Boss rallies the local volunteers, opens up donors’ wallets and creates buzz exactly where they want it. And by the looks of it, we’ve got three tight races on our hands.
Each visit is carefully staged, with product placement of local candidates mugging for the cameras. These “pressers” provide the day’s talking points and an opportunity to question the leaders on the things that aren’t so easily scripted.
We just hope they all still love us this much after Oct. 19.
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