Commentary Staking out ground in an election is all part of campaigning. You need to distinguish yourself from your rivals and create a brand that people want to be a part of. While divide-and-conquer tactics are standard play in elections, the vitriolic and divisive atmosphere fostered in this election is unprecedented. A segment of society has been identified and demonized for the sake of electoral expediency. No matter which party forms the next government, they will have some deep national wounds to try and heal as their first order of business. The Trudeau Liberals found themselves on the defensive from the first day of the election campaign. They called an early election while high in the polls and felt they could grow their support levels into a majority government. While Canadians usually express ire with early election calls, they also usually tend to forget their annoyance and focus on other …