OTTAWA - The federal leaders kicked their pre-election campaigns into high gear this week, facing questions about the future of the Senate and a possible coalition between the NDP and Liberals.

All eyes were on Regina, Sask., Friday afternoon, where Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced that the Conservative government will impose a moratorium on any further Senate appointments.

“For the past two and a half years … I have not made any appointments to the Senate,” said Harper. “It will be our policy to formalize that.”

Harper said the moratorium will have two “advantages.” First, it will save costs because there will be less spending in the Senate. He said it will also force the provinces to come up with a plan for reform or conclude that the only way to address the “status quo” is to abolish the Chamber.

“The ball’s in their (the provinces’) court. They can now propose reforms,” said Harper. “In the meantime, the membership in the Senate’s going to continue to shrink and Canadians are going to ask the question … ‘Why not just abolish it?’”

Mulcair, whose party also supports abolition, reacted to the news Friday morning in London, Ont.

“Better late than never. Mr. Harper got elected on a promise of Senate abolition,” said Mulcair. “Every time I’ve talked to him about it, Mr. Harper’s said it’s impossible. Well, I guess he fell off his horse on the way to Damascus once again, because his 11th hour conversion is going to convince no one.”

Speaking from Richmond, B.C., Friday, Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau accused the Conservatives and NDP of “posturing for a popular position that has no capacity of happening” – abolishing the Senate. 

“Canadians want a reformed, transparent, responsible Senate and that’s what we’re offering,” said Trudeau. “Not fairytales of constitutional negotiations that will be never-ending because political parties think it’s popular.”

Coalition talks also followed Mulcair and Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau on the trail this week. Both leaders faced questions about the possibility of forming a coalition government this fall in order to oust Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s Conservatives.

Speaking in Nova Scotia on Thursday, Mulcair said the NDP has always seen the defeat of the Conservatives as a priority, but that Trudeau has consistently rejected any notion of a coalition. Trudeau said no to the idea again on in Winnipeg when asked about a formal coalition with the NDP.

Conservatives, NDP neck-in-neck: Nanos poll

All the coalition talk comes less than three months ahead of the scheduled election date of Oct. 19. And as that date approaches, a new Nanos poll shows an even split between the NDP and Conservatives.

When asked to rank their top two local party preferences when voting federally, survey respondents tied the Tories and NDP at 31 per cent each, while the Liberals came in a 27 per cent. The Green Party ranked fourth with just six per cent.

Campaign stops

While Mulcair spent most of his week in Ontario, as a part of his “Ontario Tour for Change,” Trudeau made stops in Quebec, Winnipeg and B.C.

Harper spent the end of his week in western Canada, stopping in Kelowna Thursday, where he assessed first-hand the damage caused by a series of severe wildfires, before heading to Regina on Friday.

But the party leaders weren’t the only politicians hard at work this week. MPs – mostly Conservative – were busy with announcements – or should we say mostly re-announcements. 

To give an idea of how busy they were, here’s a list of appearances from Monday to Wednesday, and a day-by-day breakdown:

MONDAY – WEDNESDAY TOTAL

CAMPAIGN STOPS: 9

ANNOUNCEMENTS RE-ANNOUNCED: 40

NEW ANNOUNCEMENTS: 0

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS: 11

MONDAY

CAMPAIGN STOPS: 0

The leaders all took a break from the pre-election campaign trail on Monday.

ANNOUNCEMENTS RE-ANNOUNCED: 8

- Halifax: Conservative ministers were out and about on Monday promoting the expansion of the government’s Universal Child Care Benefit. Employment Minister Pierre Poilievre, a loud proponent of the benefit for Canadian parents, lead the charge in Halifax, holding a press conference about the measure announced in this year’s federal budget. The following Conservative MPs also made themselves available to talk about the benefit across Canada:

-Gail Shea in Alterton, P.E.I

-Jacques Gourde in Sainte-Agathe-de-Lotbiniere, Que.

-Transport Minister Lisa Raitt in Mississauga, Ont.

-Health Minister Rona Ambrose in Edmonton

-Joyce Bateman in Winnipeg

-National Revenue Minister Kerry-Lynne Findlay in Vancouver

- Truro, N.S.: Poilievre and fellow Conservative Scott Armstrong touted the Canada Summer Jobs program.

- Mississauga, Ont.: Raitt, along with Ontario Transportation Minister Steven Del Duca, announced joint funding for the Queen Elizabeth Way (QEW)-Dixie Road Interchange project under the New Building Canada Plan.

- Sault Ste Marie, Ont.: Conservative MPs Bryan Hayes and Ed Holder announced that BioForest Technologies will receive up to $160,000 in funding through the National Research Council of Canada’s Industrial Research Assistance Program.

- Pictou Landing, N.S.: Justice Minister Peter MacKay announced new funding of up to $1.5 million for the Forbes Lake Water Treatment Facility project under the New Building Canada Plan.

- Bridgewater, N.S.: Parliamentary Secretary to the Trade Minister Gerald Keddy announced more than $70,000 for improvements to the Lunenburg County Lifestyle Centre.

- New Glasgow, N.S.: MacKay announced $50,000 for renovations to improve accessibility at the Summer Street Industries Society.

- Sainte-Agathe-de-Lotbiniere, Que.: Gourde announced nearly $76,000 in funding for the Sainte-Agathe-de-Lotbiniere municipality to renovate its local community hall.

NEW ANNOUNCEMENTS: 0

OTHER APPEARANCES: 3

- Winnipeg, Man.: Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz announced that the Crop Logistics Working Group (CLWG) completed its final report, identifying ways to improve the grain handling and transportation system across Canada.

- Halifax, N.S.: Natural Resources Minister Greg Rickford attended the federal and provincial energy and mining counterparts annual general meeting, where he delivered the keynote address.

- Toronto, Ont.: Trade Minister Ed Fast hosted a Go Global export workshop, in partnership with Google Canada.

TUESDAY

CAMPAIGN STOPS: 5

- Ontario: NDP Leader Tom Mulcair brought his “Ontario Tour for Change” to Mississauga, Cambridge and Hamilton, where he highlighted the party’s support for small and medium sized business job creation.

- Quebec: Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau visited Laval, where he and area candidates met with families. He also held a media availability in the city, where he called on the NDP to explain why it thinks Quebec should have an easier path to independence than the one outlined by the Supreme Court of Canada. Trudeau ended his day at a town hall meeting in Montreal with Mount Royal Liberal candidate Anthony Housefather.

ANNOUNCEMENTS RE-ANNOUNCED: 16

- Ontario: Mulcair highlighted the NDP’s proposed innovation tax credit, which would encourage investment in machinery and equipment, and intention to cut the small business tax rate from 11 to 9 percent. Both proposed measures were announced in January.

- Alma, N.B.: Minister of State for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA) Rob Moore announced more than $116,000 in federal funding for wastewater infrastructure upgrades in Alma.

- North Bay, Ont.: Conservative MP Jay Aspin unveiled that Foraco Canada Ltd., a mineral drilling company, will receive up to $170,000 in funding through the NRC-IRAP.

- Toronto, Ont.: Conservative MP John Carmichael announced $980,000 for Perimeter Medical Imaging, Inc. to develop and test an innovative new breast cancer imaging tool.

- Chester, N.S.: Keddy announced more than $115,000 for the Chester Art Centre Association.

- Kitchener, Ont.: Conservative Minister of State Gary Goodyear announced more than $144,000 for the renovation of the Niagara-on-the-Lake Public Library.

- Sault Ste. Marie, Ont.: Hayes announced $6 million for renovations at the Sault Ste. Marie Armoury.

- Wainwright Garrison, Alta.: Conservative MP Leon Benoit announced $9 million for new construction of the Integrated Personnel Support Centre, and construction of an extension to the Wainwright Garrison Health Services Centre.

- Antigonish , N.S.: MacKay announced $250,250 for the Antigonish Arena Commission to replace the arena flooring, and install new dasher boards and glass in order to meet current safety standards.

- Havelock, Ont.: Rick Norlock announced $50,000 in federal funding over two for the 12th and the 13th editions of the Shelter Valley Folk Festival.

- Vancouver, B.C.: Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance Andrew Saxton announced funding for three commercialization centres: $8 million over five years to Wavefront, $3.5 million ov er five years to Leading Operational Observations and Knowledge for the North, and $8 million over five years to MiQro Innovation Collaborative Centre.

- Cranbrook, B.C.: Conservative MP David Wilks announced more than $1 million to enhance safety at the Canadian Rockies International Airport.

- Niagara-on-the-Lake , Ont.: Goodyear and Foreign Minister Rob Nicholson announced up to $144,322 for the renovation of the Niagara-on-the-Lake Public Library.

- Hampton, N.B.: Moore announced more than $267,000 to update and improve accessibility to the Kings County Court House.

- Norwood, Ont.: Norlock announced up to $338,716 for upgrades to the Township of Asphodel-Norwood's Water Treatment Plant.

- Sydney, N.S.: Raitt announced that the government has invested close to $11 million to date for improvements and repairs to the Canadian Coast Guard College.

NEW ANNOUNCEMENTS: 0

OTHER APPEARANCES: 4

- Toronto, Ont.: Trade Minister Ed Fast and Finance Minister Joe Oliver joined business leaders and members of the Canadian Jewish community to discuss Canada’s ongoing efforts to promote trade and investment with Israel.

- Thunder Bay, Ont.: Green Party MP Bruce Hyer celebrated the Festival of India at Marina Park.

- Richmond Hill, Ont.: Government House Leader Peter Van Loan and Conservative MP Costas Menegakis marked the opening of a new transit operations, maintenance and storage facility.

- Delta, B.C.: Public Safety Minister Steven Blaney and Kerry-Lynne Finley held a media availability, where Blaney shrugged off questions about the government's response to hacker threats against the RCMP, saying he fully trusts law enforcement to investigate.

WEDNESDAY

CAMPAIGN STOPS: 4

- Ontario: Mulcair continued his Ontario tour Wednesday, presenting his “farm-to-fork” approach to agriculture at farms in Brunner and Chatham. He ended his day with a “Rally for Change” in Windsor.

- Winnipeg, Man.: Trudeau spent his day in Winnipeg, where he attended the city’s Fringe Theatre Festival, and held a meet and greet with Kildona-St. Paul candidate MaryAnn Mihychuk.

ANNOUNCEMENTS RE-ANNOUNCED: 16

- Shelburne, N.S.: Keddy announced $203,000 through ACOA’s Innovative Communities Fund to construct a new tourism events facility and establish a signage program to promote key tourism experiences, interest points and attractions.

- Mississauga, Ont.: Conservative MP Wladislaw Lizon, announced up to $3.1 million dollars for Furlani's Food Corporation to improve efficiency, productivity and boost its production capacity of specialty food products.

- Stratford, Ont.: Public Works Minister Diane Finley announced infrastructure projects worth more than $15.5 million for five armouries in southern Ontario.

- Toronto, Ont.: Oliver, along Toronto Mayor John Tory, announced up to $18.4 million for Centennial College's Downsview Park Aerospace Campus under the New Building Canada Plan.

- Lockeport, N.S.: Keddy announced $55,000 to the town of Lockeport for tourism, through ACOA’s Innovative Communities Fund.

- Markham, Ont.: Conservatives Paul Calandra, Peter Kent and Goodyear announced $950,000 for the rehabilitation of Veterans Square and the cenotaph in Markham Village.

- Winnipeg, Man.: Batman announced up to $220,000 for Versatile, a tractor producer, through the NRC’s Canada Industrial Research Assistance Program.

- Orillia, Ont.: Conservative MP Bruce Stanton announced up to $741,000 for improvements to Old Barrie Road and the Highway 11 south ramp and northbound ramp intersection.

- Moose Jaw, Sask.: Conservative MP Tom Lukiwski announced $10.5 million for infrastructure upgrades at 15 Wing Moose Jaw and the Regina Garrison Armoury.

- Boutouche, N.B.: Conservative Sen. Rose-May Poirier announced more than $1.1 million in federal funding for drinking water and wastewater system upgrades in Bouctouche, and almost $700,000 for sanitary and storm sewer system upgrades in Saint-Antoine.

- Kenora, Ont.: Rickford announced up to $278,780 for the Anishinabe of Wauzhushk Onigum First Nation to improve drinking water and wastewater infrastructure.

- Cookville, N.S.: Keddy announced $62,000 through ACOA’s Innovative Communities Fund to develop 5.13 km of a planned 20-km shared-use trail along the LaHave River in Lunenburg.

- Penetanguishene, Ont.: Stanton announced up to $1,746,666 for Main Street reconstruction.

- Victoria, B.C.: Conservative Government Whip John Duncan announced condition funding of more than $32 million for the Highway 1 Admirals Road/McKenzie Avenue Interchange project.

- Okotoks, Alta.: Conservative MP John Barlow announced $268,000 for Alberta Farm Animal Care.

- Vancouver, B.C.: Findlay announced $12 million for the installation of shore power facilities for container vessels at two Port Metro Vancouver container terminals.

NEW ANNOUNCEMENTS: 0

OTHER APPERANCES: 4

- Toronto, Ont.: Associate Minister of National Defence Julian Fantino and Oliver took part in an event with Italian Ambassador to Canada Gian Lorenzo Cornado.

- Hamilton, Ont.: Fast delivered a keynote address during the Americas Investment Playbook Bilateral Trade Forum.

- Bass River, N.S.: MacKay and Armstrong highlighted the recent passing of Justice for Animals in Service Act (Quanto's Law) with local law enforcement officials and members of the community.

- Richmond Hill, Ont.: Menegakis also highlighted the recent passing of Justice for Animals in Service Act (Quanto's Law), with members of the York Regional Police Canine Unit, St. John's Ambulance and the Canadian National Institute for the Blind.

With files from the Canadian Press