With a federal election call looming as early as today (Aug. 29), most Mountain candidates appear ready to kick their campaign machines into high gear.

The NDP, Liberals, Conservatives and Greens are all in the process of opening campaign offices or nailing down a location and getting their signs and literature printed. All of them have been holding public events and knocking on doors through the summer.

"In a minority government you always have to be ready," said Mountain New Democrat Chris Charlton, who is also the incumbent MP. "I don't think the voters hunger for the next election, but I think they are prepared to make a judgement on the Harper (Conservative) government."

Ms. Charlton said the rationale the Tories and Liberals have been giving for possibly pulling the plug on the current session of Parliament has not been particularly persuasive.

"I think (Prime Minister) Harper and (Liberal leader Stephan) Dion are playing a game of poker and they're really bad at bluffing," Ms. Charlton said.

Liberal candidate Tyler Banham has been chomping at the bit for an election since he was nominated in April 2007.

"We've been ready for 20 months," Mr. Banham said. "We've hit every poll at least once."

While he was planning to give his campaign volunteers some time off at the end of the month Mr. Banham said those plans will be changed if an election is called.

Mr. Banham said he's a bit surprised at the timing given the Conservatives' pledge not to call an election until the fall of 2009. He sees Hamilton as a battleground between the Liberals and NDP.

Conservative candidate Terry Anderson said he's been anticipating an election for the past year and a half.

"We've been ready to go since the spring of 07," said the former Mountain city councillor.

"We're quite prepared if (an election call) happens," Mr. Anderson said. "The average minority government lasts 18 months and we've lasted three years."

Mr. Anderson feels the Harper government has made enough of a mark that Canadian voters can pass judgement on it at the polls.

While he's been out knocking on doors, Green Party candidate Stephen Brotherston said his party won't be printing any campaign materials until the election is actually called.

"We're as ready as we can be," Mr. Brotherston said. "We don't have the financial resources of the other parties."

Mr. Brotherston noted the Green Party's Mountain riding association has only been formally in place since January and the party has held a number of public events to get in the public eye.