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Mr. Campbell said he feels the two parties have far more in common than the Progressive Conservatives and Canadian Alliance ever did.

“I think that Stephen Harper put a gun to the progressive party’s head and said, you either join us or we will destroy you. I firmly believe that, so they joined, under duress,” he said.

Mr. Campbell made the remarks during an interview with Postmedia News moments before his leader Michael Ignatieff urged Canadians to vote for what he calls, the only party that can be a governing alternative to Harper.

Mr. Ignatieff told reporters his big centrist Liberal tent should be attractive to Liberal, NDP, Green and progressive conservative supporters.

“This country has been governed from the centre for 140 years and that is why Canadians have given their confidence in the Liberal party . . . That is where we have pitch our tent, the big red tent, since the beginning of time — not me, this is (former Liberal prime minister Wilfrid) Laurier,” he said.

But more poll results are suggesting fewer Canadians want to park their ballots with the Liberals and are looking at supporting the NDP.

In British Columbia, Campbell admitted the bandwagon effect of those polls — which he believes are “crap” — could throw some three-way races to the Conservative’s side.

Former B.C. premier and federal Liberal cabinet minister Ujjal Dosanjh is in a tough fight in his riding of Vancouver South.

He said he is concerned strategic voting and the NDP support might bleed some votes from the Liberals but he hoped his reputation might buck the trend.