You can only see so much Canadian politics from my second-floor office window. But it’s a cool, crisp summer in these parts so far (so good). And it’s clear enough the big question is still will there be a federal election this fall?

The short Ottawa-talk answer is of course maybe, maybe not. And maybe not especially if headlines continue to moan: “Tories climbing rapidly to top of the polls.”

In fact, until just recently the Grits were slightly ahead of the Tories. Now it’s just the reverse. And slightly is still the key word. But pollster Peter Donolo is probably right when he says  Michael “Ignatieff’s honeymoon – seven months after becoming Liberal Leader – is over.”

A few minutes ago a recent US resident from down the hall came in to watch an Iggy video on You Tube (“Ignatieff Stampede Breakfast 2009”). And he said: “He reminds me of John Kerry.” Someone in the  old natural governing party of Canada ought to be praying this doesn’t prove exactly true.  In any case, Michael Ignatieff was supposed to be the guy who would bring back the Canadian Liberal dream of Pierre Trudeau.  And that doesn’t seem too likely now either.