voteSome local candidates are offering their reaction to a Forum Research poll done for the Toronto Star that shows the NDP has the backing of an unprecedented 40 per cent of Canadians.

That would be enough to give Tom Mulcair a majority government on October 19th.

The survey gives the Liberals 30 percent support and the Conservatives just 23 per cent.

NDP Candidate in Nipissing-Timiskaming Kathleen Jodouin was asked if this is a boost to her campaign.

She says polls go up and polls go down, but she’s also hearing from people at the doors that they want change. 

“When I’ve been out knocking on doors across the riding, I’ve heard people say they’ve seen what the other two have done and they’re ready for change that Tom Mulcair and the NDP will bring.”

Conservative incumbent Jay Aspin was contacted for comment. But, officials at his campaign office told our newsroom “at the moment he is postponing all interviews, there will be something coming out, but at the moment he’s just putting everything on hold.”

Local Liberal candidate Anthony Rota says the only poll that matters is on election day. He goes on to say, “polls have been so wrong before and I’m hoping they’re so wrong now.”

1,440 people were polled on Sunday and Monday.

The poll is considered accurate to within three percentage points, 19 times out of 20.

Meantime, Rota released the Liberal’s Veterans Affairs platform.

Among the initiatives, they would re-establish lifelong pensions for injured veterans, expand support for families of veterans, re-open nine Veterans Affairs service offices closed by the Conservatives and hire 400 new service delivery staff.