At the end of this first month, Harper looked not only incompetent and untrustworthy, but even distasteful as a choice for Prime Minister; a poor manager for Canada, not only in terms of his track record but also due to the tarnishing effect he’s had on Canada’s international brand too. With Crosby’s appointment, the beginning of September there represent an expected shift into the second phase of the election, in which the big questions of domestic worthiness gave way to issues of national identity.