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Thomas Mulcair’s honeymoon lasted just a few months, and it ended without him having let people know the number of “L”s in his last name.

In contrast, Trudeau’s honeymoon lasted two years, because Canadians feel they know him, and also because of his hair, which many voters like.

But Trudeau’s honeymoon seems to finally be over. First, the Liberals lost support to the NDP over their support for C-51, the Conservatives’ scary anti-terror bill. Then, Albertans elected Rachel Notley, giving the federal party a big boost.

Some polls now show the NDP tied with the Tories and Liberals, which gives the NDP an opportunity to argue that they are the best team to unseat Harper.

In the election ahead, a lot depends on the voters that pollster Frank Graves calls “promiscuous progressives,” people who want to get rid of Stephen Harper but aren’t sure who should replace him.

Broadbent, 79, said in an interview Monday that the recent bump in the polls gives Mulcair a new opportunity to reach these people.

“If I were a Liberal, which I am not, I would be concerned about this group of people who are opposed to Mr. Harper, and going back and forth between ourselves and the Liberals, (and who) are now increasingly saying Tom and the NDP are the people that can and should form the government,” he said.

Broadbent is a loyal party man, of course, and loyal party men can generally be relied upon to say things are looking up for their party.

The Conservatives launched new attack ads aimed at Trudeau on Monday, and you can be sure their polls are better than the ones you read in the paper. That suggests the real threat comes from the Liberals.