Federal election officially under way

And they’re off!
Prime Minister Stephen Harper has triggered the longest – and potentially the most expensive – election campaign in more than a century.

He met with Governor General David Johnston Sunday morning to request he dissolve Parliament. The 42nd general election will be held Oct. 19.

Pundits say it will be the first campaign in which three parties have a shot at winning. The national party leaders are Harper, Conservative; Justin Trudeau, Liberal and Thomas Mulcair, New Democratic; Elizabeth May, Green and Gilles Duceppe, Bloc Quebecois.  Should Harper win, he would be the first since Sir Wilfrid Laurier in 1908 to win four consecutive elections.

The long campaign allows parties and their candidates to spend more than double the spending limits of $25 million and $100,000, respectively, that would have applied for a minimum 37-day campaign.

Local candidates have 11 weeks to make their mark in the new Bay of Quinte riding.

With federal redistribution, 30 new ridings were created. Bay of Quinte comprises Belleville, south of the 401, Quinte West and Prince Edward County.

Current MP Conservative Daryl Kramp announced he will seek re-election in the northern part of the new neighbouring riding. Rick Norlock has been representing Quinte West.

Candidates are: Conservative Jodie Jenkins, Liberal Neil Ellis and NDP Terry Cassidy.

Jenkins, in his first term as a city councillor in Belleville, was first out of the gate, announcing his intentions in June, 2014. He won the party’s nod in October 2014.
Former Belleville Mayor Neil Ellis won the Liberal nod last May.
Terry Cassidy, a 20-year Quinte West city councillor, gained the NDP ballot win in June of this year.