With the end of the National Assembly session, campaigning for the provincial election scheduled for Oct. 5 has begun in earnest.

It’s July and, even in an election year, it’s hard for politicians to get attention. Premier Christine Fréchette has been out there almost daily with government announcements of all sorts. Incumbency has its rewards.

Fréchette’s decision to leave her Montreal-area riding to run in her hometown of Trois-Rivières is strategic — putting her in a region that is open to her brand of nationalism (i.e., without the threat of a referendum.) It’s always a gamble to leave the riding where you’ve been elected, but it could well pay off when the votes are counted.

Québec solidaire is trying to get noticed, but “tax the rich” isn’t top of mind in this referendum/election. The party could see its seat count seriously reduced.

It’s clear to me that the increasingly bizarre mutterings of Parti Québécois Leader Paul St-Pierre-Plamondon are starting to reveal a serious credibility gap. Stage fright appears to be getting........

© Montreal Gazette