Fearless

Apparently the NDP's ads aren't the only part of the campaign that's striking straight for the Cons' seeming strengths, as Jack Layton's early itinerary also looked to be aimed directly at Stephen Harper's stronghold:

Mr. Layton did not take questions from reporters at the morning event. That opportunity was promised for later in the day when the party's plane lands in Mr. Harper's home town of Calgary.

Now, it would take some radical changes in vote shifts to put even a single Calgary seat in play; indeed, no other major Canadian city figures to make for less fertile electoral ground for the NDP. And one would have to expect Calgary's media to be about as unfriendly to Layton as any local group in the country - making it counterintuitive to give them the first crack at asking questions about the New Democrats' campaign.

But while the choice may be a curious one at first glance, it certainly drives home the point that Layton won't shy away from the task of taking on Harper and his home base head-on. And sending that message from day one may wind up paying huge dividends as the campaign evolves.