Conservatives have an overwhelming financial advantage over the other national parties, but the unprecedented length of the 11-week election campaign carries its own pitfalls for all parties as unexpected events are “almost guaranteed” and, according to an online poll, the NDP is likely to make gains in 45 seats where the Liberals won with either a strong majority or two-way races in the 2011 election and another 33 close seats between the Conservatives and NDP in the last election, now transposed under new ridings.