The election campaign got off to a roaring start Monday, with all the federal leaders in motion - but some getting farther than others.
While Conservative leader Stephen Harper jetted to Vancouver and NDP boss Jack Layton landed in the North West Territories en route to B.C, the Grit's Stephane Dion was forced to take the bus. Despite the fact the Grits knew the election was imminent, the Liberals' plane wasn't ready in time, and Dion will be hitting the road instead of the sky until at least Wednesday.
The Liberal leader threw off any criticism of the delay, noting he was planning to head to Montreal and the eastern part of Ontario from Ottawa - and that he doesn't need a jet to get there.
The Conservatives are pouncing on the delay to wonder what else the Liberals may not be prepared for and they now have a new source of ammunition to aim at their environmentally conscious rival. It turns out the Liberal plane is a gas guzzling 30-year-old Boeing 737 that may not be very environmentally friendly and is far less fuel efficient that the ones being used by either the NDP or the Tories.
The problem stems from the fact that the Liberals couldn't arrange to get a better aircraft from Air Canada, which already had agreements in place with the New Democrats and the Conservatives. The national airline is fully booked and couldn't spare a plane, so the Grits had to settle for another one owned by Air Inuit.
But its age and its lack of fuel efficiency is raising questions and eyebrows early on in the campaign.
Dion admits it's not the best situation but that the party plans to buy 'offset credits' from a Toronto firm that specializes in equalizing carbon emissions by collecting money that goes to an environmentally friendly project somewhere else.
Meanwhile, the bus-bound leader started the day in Montreal, where he openly called Stephen Harper a liar. The Conservative leader told voters out west that the Liberals have plans to rescind the government's child care allowance benefit and raise the GST.
"They are piling their lies upon lies," he concludes. "They are unable to stop to lie. Canadians will not accept that."
He called on the Conservative chief not to "try to win an election by lying."
Dion began his first full day on the campaign trail addressing one of the safest Liberal ridings in Canada and introducing star candidate and former astronaut Marc Garneau.
The pair spent the day touring Dawson College, the scene of that tragic shooting in 2006, where a rifle toting Kimveer Gill
killed a student and wounded 16 others, before turning the gun on himself. It's all a prelude to a gun control announcement that he hopes will further distinguish himself and his party from Harper's Tories.
Quebec is no sure thing for Dion, where he's not as popular as Grits past. New poll numbers show the Conservatives actually have a very slight lead in La Belle Province with 31 per cent. The Bloc is right behind at 30. The Liberals are way down the list at just 20 per cent.
And in Quebec City, one poll indicates the Tories may be running as high as 50 per cent support.
None of which seems to openly concern Dion. After engineering the Clarity Act, which defines the terms of Quebec separation, the native Quebecker has lost support in his home province with those who don't agree with his stance.
But he remains resolute despite those opposed. "This election is for us a great opportunity to show to Canadians and my fellow Quebeckers what we can do to improve this country," he vows.
Some have noted the spectre of separatism isn't that strong this time around, so the traditional Liberal stance of playing "Captain Canada" may not work as well. Dion's response? "I would say it's always there and we have good reason to convince Quebeckers to stay in Canada."
But Dion won't be staying there himself for long. He plans to board the jet for the first time on Wednesday when he heads to New Brunswick.
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