It's been more than 25 years since candidates and party canvassers have had to trudge through winter snows for a federal election campaign. But that's exactly what they're doing this year.

All of the parties insist they don't want to have to electioneer at this time of year. After all, as former prime minister Pierre Trudeau said during his brief stint as an opposition leader in 1980: "Who wants to campaign in the slush?"

But slog through the slush they will, says NDP strategist Brad Lavigne – even if the campaign lasts eight long weeks.

"We Canadians are a hardy people. We work in the snow, we play in the snow and we can campaign in the snow," he told CTV.ca.

But party campaign leaders know that the costs of hitting the campaign circuit are higher during the winter. There are the extra fuel costs of keeping a warm bus on the road. De-icing the leaders' planes is an extra expense, and it ain't a cheap one either, averaging $8,000 per scrape-down.

There won't be any campaign BBQs, since most campaign events will have to be held indoors, resulting in extra venue rental fees. And the weather can always throw off travel plans, notes outgoing NDP MP and former party leader Ed Broadbent.

"Don't be surprised if you plan to fly into Brandon and there's six feet of snow that wasn't anticipated and you have to fly back to Winnipeg," he says. "There are more events that will have to be cancelled or postponed.

In anticipation of those worries, campaign managers will likely schedule fewer events per day for the leaders than they would during the summer.

Larry Bagnell, a Liberal MP who's seeking re-election in the territory of Yukon, is used to the snow. But he's not looking forward to contending with the bitter cold as he flies from community to community.

"It could be up to -40, -50 up here," he said, pointing on a map to the northern Yukon. "The ice fog could prevent the plane from getting in, or you could be stuck there for half the election."

Nancy Karetak-Lindell, the Liberal MP for Nunavut notes that there is one other twist to campaigning in the far North: "There's no sun in a lot of those places at this time of year. It's total darkness on the Arctic Circle and above. I've got some communities that won't see sunlight until January."

Broadbent doesn't think that sounds so bad. He campaigned in the North as party leader during the 1980 election campaign and has great memories of the experience.

"We went dog sledding in the Yukon, which my wife and I will always remember," he told CTV News. "So the pleasures of a Canadian winter can be experienced by campaigners, as well as the work."

Shivering canvassers

Despite Broadbent's sunny assessment, most campaign canvassers are not likely looking forward to dashing through the snow, going door-to-door, trying to convince voters of their party's merits.

"Canvassers will move a lot faster from house to house," predicts Lavigne, half-jokingly. "You may even see more canvassers choosing to stick to apartment buildings."

You are also likely to see more campaign funds going towards flyers, delivered by hearty Canada Post delivery staff, who have vowed that neither rain, nor sleet, nor snow will prevent the missives from arriving on time.

Then there's those lawn signs. They won't be much good if no one can pound them into the frozen ground, or if they get covered by a dumping of snow.

Lavigne say his party will consider using steel posts instead of wooden ones, just as they always do in the North anyway.

"If Canadian softwood lumber won't make it through the frozen ground, then Hamilton steel will," he declares.

Or parties may just decide to stick to using more billboards and posting signs on the sides of buildings, high above the snow banks.

Fashion dilemmas

Winter campaigning presents more than just logistical troubles. There are also the fashion conundrums. Are galoshes not leader-ly enough? How about earmuffs: juvenile or a sensible toque alternative? What about the etiquette to winter gloves? Should they be removed for shaking hands or is that just asking to spread the cold virus to unsuspecting constituents?

Yukon MP Bagnell knows that he'll be going for the layered look: "Undershirt, then your shirt, then a sweater, then a sweatshirt, and a coat -- and another coat," he says when asked to describe his campaign wardrobe.

"Maybe an Edmonton Oilers toque might be fun," suggests Conservative MP Rona Ambrose, who's seeking re-election in Edmonton-Spruce Grove.

Lavigne sees bright orange and green scarves on his party's candidates. And as for campaigning tactics, he Lavigne has this tongue-in-cheek advice: "When it comes to snowballing the prime minister's tour bus when Paul Martin comes to town, make sure the snowballs are tightly packed so you can get good distance."

However, the biggest risk of a winter vote is that a big blizzard on election day will keep many voters indoors. During the last election, held in sunny June 2004, just 61.2 per cent of eligible electors turned out.

Throw in some ice that could keep seniors off the sidewalks and voter anger about a campaign during holiday time, and the country may see voter turnout hit a new low.