For the first few minutes of his most important election speech, you might have thought Conservative leader Stephen Harper was back in the House of Commons - some were applauding him, others were screaming at him.
As the Tory boss stood up to finally reveal his party's election platform to a Toronto audience with the vote just a week away, protestors waiting in the audience also jumped to the forefront, screaming, "It's time to stop global warming! Vote for the environment!" and yelling about the Kyoto Protocols, which the Harper government famously cancelled as unworkable.
They were quickly led out in what was an inauspicious beginning to one of the most long awaited speeches of the campaign. But if Harper was fazed, he didn't show it. Instead, he did what he's done during most of this 35-day long trek to the polls - stay the course.
That's mostly what was in the platform. Among the major promises: $400 million in loans to help the struggling auto and manufacturing sector, the abolition of all tariffs on imported machinery; a cut in diesel and air fuel taxes; a tax credit for first time homebuyers; and the promise not to run a deficit.
The total cost of the grand plan: $8.7 billion, with most coming from tax cuts and only about $2 billion in actual government expenditures.
But while supporters had many questions about the platform - called "The Truth North Strong and Free" - his opponents had just one main query: what took you so long?
The opposition believes Harper and his minions refused to release their plan before this because they didn't really have one, a fact that became more glaring during the U.S. economic meltdown this month.
Harper disagrees. "When some wonder in the wake of recent events why we haven't thrown together a new plan, the reply of course is that the plan on which we have been acting is the plan," he explains. "In fact the very reason we call it a plan is because action is planned before it is needed."
That immediately drew the scorn of those looking to take Harper's job away from him on October 14th.
"Clearly, it's a desperate act at the last minute to try to paper over what has been his whole approach, which is essentially to give unconditional tax cuts to the biggest, most profitable companies, like the banks and the oil companies," condemns NDP leader Jack Layton .
"They don't believe in the role of the government to help the people and help the economy," adds Grit chief Stephane Dion.
Many critics believe Harper is being perceived as not caring about the economy, as job losses mount and the stock markets fall to unheard of depths.
The leader's response? "I think the thing to focus people on is maybe not the emotions of the moment but to focus them on the real clarity of the choice, whether we go that route or whether we literally jump off a cliff and create all the worse problems we're seeing in all the most troubled economies of the world. That is what the opposition's proposing."
Bob Rae, who has become something of a pit bull on Harper's tail, was asked what he observes when he looks the Conservative leader in the eye. "Well, grandma, what big teeth you have. That's what I see."
The latest polls show the Tories still have the lead but have dropped out of majority range. That's a big change from just a few weeks ago, and it appears to be coming from a perception that Harper waited too long to tell Canadians what he'll do if they send his government back to Ottawa.
The dizzying array of promises - which many voters believe none of them will ever keep - begins to overlap after awhile.
Click here to see them all and to decide which one most fits your agenda.
Conservative Plan Highlights:
- $200 million more each over four years for the repayable Strategic Aerospace and Defence Initiative and Automotive Innovation funds.
- Cancel changes to film and television tax credits allowing government to disqualify certain productions. No cost provided.
- Two-cent-a-litre cut in taxes on diesel and aviation fuel over four years. $600 million a year once fully implemented.
- Allow 49 per cent foreign ownership of airlines and foreign ownership of uranium mines.
- Tax credit for first-time homebuyers to claim up to $5,000 in closing costs for a rebate of up to $750. $200 million a year, fully implemented.
- Ban kid-friendly flavours and additives from tobacco products and require cigarillos to be sold in packages of at least 20. No cost provided.
- Maximum life sentences for offenders as young as 14 convicted of first- or second-degree murder; maximum 14-year sentences and an end to anonymity for youths who commit violent crimes.
- End conditional sentencing, also known as house arrest, for 30 serious crimes, including robbery, theft, and arson.
- $113 million over five years to crack down on environmental crime, including maximum penalties of $6 million for companies and $1 million for individuals.
- Internet anti-spam law, ban on charging for unsolicited text messages, crackdown on gas-pump tampering. No cost provided.
- New tax credit for parents of children under 16 enrolled in eligible arts programs; $150 million a year.