The avalanche of social spending by the Liberals in the run-up to the election campaign appears to be shoring up the party's support among left-leaning Canadians, but it may have given the Conservatives just the opening they need to grab middle-of-the-road voters.
Yesterday's announcement by Conservative Leader Stephen Harper that he would provide a tax deduction of up to $500 per child for parents who register their children in sports programs is the latest campaign plank with potential appeal beyond the Tories' core right-wing constituency.
The proposal follows Harper's widely noticed promises to trim the GST and give families $1,200 a year per child to help pay for child care.
This positioning has afforded the Tories an excellent opportunity to generate support in the suburban belts like Toronto's 905 area where families are feeling strapped, says EKOS pollster Frank Graves.
In the early going in this campaign, the defining theme has been Paul Martin's vow to defend and expand social programs versus Harper's plans to give Canadians a break by reducing the cash they send to Ottawa.
"You've got to go through (the Tory platform) item by item," Martin said yesterday when asked if he believes the Conservatives have a hidden agenda. Source.
