For the NDP, the parliamentary session that ended Thursday is one to forget.

Aside from MP Charlie Angus's 'heroics' in bringing attention to the Attawapiskat situation, the New Democrat caucus has failed miserably in its efforts to hold the Conservative government to account.

While several of the party's veteran MPs are busy campaigning for the party's leadership, the remaining caucus of young and inexperienced members have been trampled on by the Conservative majority.

"Government bill after government bill — on crime, on dismantling the wheat board, on ending the long-gun registry — has been pushed through Parliament this fall with limited debate and no consideration given to amendments proposed from the other side of the House, noted Gloria Galloway of the Globe and Mail.

Moreover, those MPs who are running for the leadership have so far failed to excite the electorate in any meaningful way.

In an article he wrote for the Huffington Post, former Harper advisor Keith Beardsley called the leadership contest a "campaign of nobodies."

"While the candidates are a decent bunch of individuals and hard-working constituency MPs," he wrote, "can Canadians envision all but a couple of them as the next prime minister of Canada?"

In the meantime, the party's interim leader Nycole Turmel has at times appeared aloof. Anecdotally, interim Liberal leader Bob Rae seems to be getting a lot more media attention.

The opinion polls reflect the NDP's recent malaise.

According to a Nanos Research poll released November 28, the federal Liberals have pulled ahead of the NDP in terms of national support.

A Harris Decima poll, released Thursday, indicates the NDP are in 'free fall' in Quebec.

The survey, conducted for The Canadian Press, indicates the party's support in the province has plunged to 26 per cent — down 16 points since last May's election.

The only good news for the NDP: they now have 6 weeks before the House returns to regroup and get their act together.