Tories, New Democrats test Tactics in BC By-election

The federal by-election tactics of the Conservatives and the New Democrats will likely be the same as the next general election, rumoured to be in the Spring after the Olympics:

The Conservatives - "The Curious Case of the Missing Tory"

The New Democrats - "NDP's Fin Donnelly focuses on HST in New West-Coquitlam"

Update: "Layton and Donnelly Woo the HST Haters"

The Conservatives "tactic" of avoiding media interviews and/or all-candidates meetings is not new. Last federal election they eschewed anything but strictly controlled media events where candidates played the role of a potted plant.

The New Democrats will be looking to capitalize on the anger against the HST in Ontario and BC. Since the federal Conservatives will have to enact the HST through the budget, or some other 'money' bill, look for this to be a major wedge issue in the next federal election.