Another week, another poll. This recent one, by Ekos Research, finds what others have shown consistently over the past year or so: The Liberal Party of Canada maintains a surprising popularity that might well lead it to power in the next election.

The usual caveats notwithstanding — polls are only a snapshot in time, governments sag after eight years in office — the string of surveys is harder to dismiss now than those in the afterglow of Justin Trudeau becoming leader in April 2013.

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The first reason is that the numbers have remained fairly steady — the Liberals in first or second, the New Democrats in third, the traditional configuration of Canadian politics.

The second is that the return of Parliament in October marks the unofficial beginning of the election campaign, which will end either next spring or next fall.

We’re in the zone now. Nothing is fixed, but positions and perceptions are hardening. The trend favours the Liberals.

What is interesting — and missed in the projections of seats and percentages in the election next year — is what good polls mean now, in practical terms. For the Liberals, they mean a great deal.

Popularity is a godsend to a political party between elections. It doesn’t matter if it is fleeting or false. It doesn’t matter if it is based on personality (the leader) or perception (the brand). The value is psychological. It attracts new members. It raises money. It recruits candidates.

For the Liberals, who suffered the worst loss in their history in 2011, the benefit is incalculable. Having become the third party, their future was in real doubt.

There were calls from senior Liberals to merge with the New Democrats.

No one is talking about a merger anymore. Nor is anyone talking about the death of the party. Both could still happen, of course, if the Liberals do not become the government, or official opposition, in 2015. If they place third next year, the party’s over.

But with every month of favourable polls, remaining in third seems less likely. The brighter the prospects, the greater the momentum. Membership is rising. The party claims 160,000 paid-up members (excluding “supporters” — a free category created during the leadership race). Money is flowing. In 2013, the Liberals raised $11.3 million from 71,655 donors (compared with $8.1 million from 44,466 donors in 2012). It was less than the Conservatives raised last year ($18.1 million from 80,135 donors), but better than the NDP ($8.1 million from 39,218 donors).

Although contributions to the Liberals slumped in the spring — presumably because Liberals diverted money to their provincial cousins running for re-election in Ontario — the party expects to keep bringing in the cash. Where the optimism is most tangible, though, is the number and quality of candidates joining the Liberals, who will have nominees in 80 of 338 ridings this week.

They have attracted star candidates and potential nominees such as Adam Vaughan and Bill Morneau in Toronto, Jim Carr in Winnipeg, Andrew Leslie in Ottawa and Seamus O’Regan in St. John’s. What is also impressive is their cadre of accomplished professionals, such as Celina Caesar-Chavannes in Oshawa and Dr. Jane Philpott in Markham, Ont.; Terry Beech in Burnaby; and François-Philippe Champagne in Shawinigan, Que.

Others include Catherine McKenna in Ottawa-Centre, Matt DeCourcey in Fredericton and Allan Thompson in Huron-Bruce, Ont. All are able and ambitious, with a spirited commitment to public service. Many ridings are attracting sitting provincial legislators, mayors and city councillors.

Is all this an illusion? Nothing in 2014 guarantees success for the Liberals in 2015, particularly with a young leader, untested in a national campaign, facing a seasoned prime minister comfortable with brass-knuckle politics.

But what if the Liberals were polling at 18 per cent, their popular vote in the last election, rather than 38 per cent? Would they be raising money, attracting members, recruiting candidates?

They wouldn’t. Which is why the Liberals pray their long, surprising season does not fade like a soft summer mist.

Andrew Cohen is a professor of journalism and international affairs at Carleton University in Ottawa.

andrewzcohen@yahoo.ca