The latest CROP poll shows support for the Conservatives in Quebec just 1 point lower than the Bloc. In terms of seats this still means the CPC and Liberals will tie at about 20 with the other 35 going to the BQ.

However, there are at least 3 things to keep in mind that make this better for the Conservatives:

1. Momentum is definitely with the Conservatives. Not over the past 2 polls - as I said, they are consistent, but overall and when looking at a longer range. Dion continues to fall.

2. The Conservatives are likely to out-campaign the Liberals and BQ during the election. Funding is part of the issue but Harper is simply a better, smarter politician than Dion.

3. The 1,700 members of the 5th Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group based at Canadian Forces Base Valcartier, Quebec will be coming home soon. With high spirits and very few casualties their return will effectively remove the Afghanistan issue as a problem for the Conservatives.

Quebecois, having all but rejected separatism, may be in the process of disengaging from the Bloc as well. The once “scary” Conservatives having given Quebec nation status and redirected billions of dollars to redress the fiscal imbalance might be soon rewarded with enough new Quebec MPs to form a majority government.

The Liberals persist in the pretense that you can rebuild Afghanistan without first securing it. They want our troops to sit on the sideline while others (who? the Americans?) do the fighting. That might be the Liberal way, but it isn’t the Canadian way.

The Conservative government is doing all it can to provide our excellent troops with the equipment, training, manpower and support they need to do their job. They aren’t a bunch of engineers - they are soldiers. There job is to protect us from terrorists. If they need to fight to do that, let them fight.

The Taliban would like nothing more than for the Liberals to win the next election. So bring it on, let’s fight the Liberals and the Taliban at the same time.

Read: Motion on Afghan mission hits snag

In this article the always informative Scott Taylor sheds light on the recent insult leveled at Canadian troops by US Defence Secretary Gates. He also knocks Peter MacKay for not standing up for Canadian troops. Sounds like Canada has had to virtually reconquer Kandahar province after the US pulled out. Read the article to understand why.