Technically, an election could be called as early as Tuesday, but even before the long weekend wrapped up it appeared a fall date had been set to send Canadians to the polls.
Reports from Ottawa Monday night indicated Oct. 14 would be announced as the date the nation casts its ballots, this after Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Liberal Leader Stephane Dion met in the afternoon at 24 Sussex Drive where their pending battle was the chief topic of discussion.
The tête-à-tête was brief, as expected, but it's certain Dion brought up one key point: The Grit reminded Harper that he's breaking his own promise about fixed election dates.
CityNews Political Specialist Richard Madan speculated that a floundering financial sector is a key factor in moving up the voting day.
"Politically we know the economy is waning. The Prime Minister and the Conservatives have some internal polling numbers that show that, if an election were held now they'd be in better shape to take on the Liberals now as opposed to next year," he postulated.
Harper spokesperson Kory Teneycke suggested any vote is a direct reflection of the Liberal Party's desires.
"The opposition obviously want an election," he charged. "If they wanted to avoid an election they would identify areas of common ground."
Meanwhile, the Liberal team got a big boost Monday, when a union leader - widely believed to be an NDP shoe-in - threw his support behind the Liberals.
"Every new leader faces this challenge of everybody wondering and looking for some miracle so to speak and it never happens, but once they get into an election campaign they start to show what their metal really is about," Buzz Hargrove allowed.
Hargrove has been president of the Canadian Autoworkers Union for 16 years, a position he'll resign September 6. It had been rumoured that the leader would run against Finance
Minister Jim Flaherty in Ottawa, but over the weekend he said wouldn't throw his hat in the ring after all.
NDP leader Jack Layton's hat remains there, though, and he had some thoughts on the coming campaign.
"I think Mr. Harper's already made up his mind that he's going to quite his job," Layton said. "And here on Labour Day to be quitting your job is pretty strange to a lot of Canadians."
There are four by-elections scheduled for September 8, but the announcement is expected to come well before that.
Harper has already met with the other federal leaders, Gilles Duceppe and Layton.
On Sunday, the Greens got their first ever MP when Liberal-turned-Independent Blair Wilson changed colour once again.
Current polls suggest the Tories lead ever so slightly, but the biggest challenge for all parties could prove to be capturing the much divided attention of the Canadian public.
The looming federal election south of the border will certainly be one large obstacle to overcome.