Awwal 17, 1432 H/April 21, 2011, SPA -- The left-leaning New Democratic Party has exploded from an also-ran in Canada's election campaign to a potential spoiler that could change the Canadian balance of power, according to Reuters. All polls show a surge in support for the NDP, which advocates higher corporate taxes, more social spending and an early withdrawal from Afghanistan, and one showed the party level with the opposition Liberals. A strong NDP showing could help the Conservatives if it splits a left-leaning vote between Liberals and New Democrats, or between New Democrats and the separatist Bloc Quebecois in Quebec, allowing a Conservative candidate to win a race with well under half the vote in an individual district. But the polls don't guarantee the Conservatives the support they need to win a majority government, and the NDP could also wrest seats from the Conservatives, bringing the likelihood of a third consecutive Parliament where the Conservatives are the largest party but support from others to stay in power. "It seems clear that the public aren't leaning to give Mr. Harper his majority," said Frank Graves, whose EKOS survey showed the NDP tied with the Liberals. His automated telephone poll has the Conservatives at 34.4 percent, down three points in three days, ahead of the NDP and the Liberals who are tied at 24.7 percent. For the first time, the NDP leads the Bloc Quebecois in the French-speaking province of Quebec. "This steady progression from also-ran to contender has been a smooth and steady," Graves said, adding that he was unsure if the gains could be sustained or expanded. The NDP gained support after last week's two leaders' debates, posing a dilemma for the Liberals, who describe themselves as the only party that can oust the Conservatives. "The federal NDP has never formed a government in the history of Canada," Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff said on Thursday. "That's just a fact, and we're in the business on the 2nd of May of choosing governments."
