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The MacKenzie family first heard about Sunday’s writ drop as they fed Timbits to their smiling 17-month-old, Alyssa, in a Tim Hortons in Ajax on Monday afternoon.

“We were at the cottage not paying attention,” explained Scott MacKenzie.

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Child-care issues are front and centre for them: The Burlington family received their Universal Tax Benefit in the mail last month, and while they were pleased with it, “you could see the motivation behind it for sure.”

The motivation was on display just down the road at a stylish suburban golf course as Stephen Harper’s campaign bus rolled in for a rally — 90 minutes late as the return from cottage country snarled traffic. But the delay didn’t sap the enthusiasm from the crowd gathered inside, all 100 invited by the Conservative Party of Canada and vetted in advance.

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Harper, who will be campaigning in the Greater Toronto Area all week, is positioning himself as the only one to be trusted with the nation’s economy.