The longest federal election campaign in more than 100 years has not exactly started with a bang.
Peter Stoffer, the incumbent NDP candidate for Sackville-Eastern Shore, says volunteers, like most Canadians, have their minds on other things in August.
“We didn't want to put any added pressure on them whatsoever,” he says. “So we agreed in our campaign team to open up the office in September, and that I myself and another person would put up signs and see if anybody wishes to have signs."
When Prime Minister Stephen Harper made the election announcement last week, it was speculated that a long campaign would drain the resources of his much less funded political opponents. But they say they aren’t rising to the bait.
Halifax Liberal candidate Andy Fillmore will open his election office next week. He says he’s carefully managing the budget, but says volunteers in his riding are eager.
"The election call has given us a bit of a bump,” he says.
Marketing professor Ed McHugh says he’s seen very few signs, but there should be more.
“The only thing I would do a little differently if I were to try to brand myself in an election, I would get some signs up now,” he says. “Because, you know, signs, as much as they are an environmental issue, they still mean a lot to people."
The national leaders have only had one major debate, with more to come. The prime minister says the long campaign will result in political parties spending more of their own money, rather than taxpayer’s.
With files from CTV Atlantic’s Ron Shaw.
