Two new polls have been released  one by Forum and the other by Angus Reid which appear to confirm the startling result first revealed by an earlier Ekos poll which placed the NDP in the lead in Québec and second after the Conservatives ahead of the Liberals. Both of these polls also show the NDP ahead in Québec and also gaining support in B.C. and Ontario and doing well in Edmonton. The Angus Reid poll has the Conservatives at 35%, the New Democrats at 30 %, the Liberals at 22%, the Bloc at 7 and the Greens at 5 %. The Forum poll has the Conservatives at 34 %, the New Democrats at 31%, the Liberals at 22, the Bloc at 7  and the Greens at 5. So the gap between the NDP and the Conservatives appears to be narrowing somewhat making it less likely if these results held up on election day for the Conservatives to win any sort of majority. Seat breakdowns are notoriously hard to predict in three way races in such a regionally diverse country but the Forum poll according to some observers suggests that the Conservatives on this result would end up with 137 seats, the NDP 108, the Liberals 60 and the Bloc 3. After the shock had worn off the Conservatives would have to compromise substantially on a number of policies and appointments to maintain confidence. Failing that, the Liberals and the New Democrats would if they are sensible seek to hammer out a compromise based on a pragmatic and progressive weighing of appropriate policies that would permit either a prolonged minority government or a more formal coalition to guarantee a continued solid recovery, lower unemployment, more investment in equal opportunities in education and training, improved health care and access to family practitioners, improved pensions,fair taxation and a foreign policy in keeping with core Canadian values.