GATINEAU, Que. - Stephen Harper is off and running -- and Tom Mulcair is right behind him.

The NDP leader kicked off his party's election campaign across the river from Parliament Hill just moments after his Conservative rival asked Governor General David Johnson to dissolve Parliament.

Mulcair is launching what the New Democrats are calling their "Campaign for Change" from the Canadian Museum of History in Gatineau, Quebec, the iconic Peace Tower looming in the background.

Recent public opinion polls suggest all three main parties have a shot at forming a government after October 19th, and Mulcair says he is focused on doing exactly that.

In 2011, New Democrats achieved historic electoral success, thanks largely to gains made in Quebec under the leadership of Mulcair's predecessor, Jack Layton.

Political observers say the N-D-P's greatest challenge will be to translate its current levels of support into more seats in the House of Commons.

Some of the main planks of the N-D-P platform include a promise to create a million 15-dollar-a-day child care spaces across Canada and a 15-dollar minimum wage.