Voter turnout

The Globe and Mail has an article in todays paper re negative campaigning and how it can keep voters at home.
I believe, from my observations, that the Harperites are doing just that--making politics so ugly-looking that most people, especially young people, stay away from the voting booths out of disgust. That plays perfectly into the hands of a party that has a solid base it is catering to that will come out and vote to keep what precious power they have.
This is not a new strategy as apparently the Republicans do this in the USA. It's also a strategy that is used to make companies easier to sell off. Remember when CN had good passenger service across Canada? I am old enough to remember that era and I remember how gradually their service deteriorated to the point where ridership went down dramatically. Suddenly it was for sale and the government dumped it at a fire-sale price. I've seen other companies do the same thing.
Harper and his crew criticized the Senate and then appointed loyalists who were clearly not Senate material but were appointments who would give his government a majority vote to make sure any bills that he wanted passed would get passed and those bills that displeased him and his voter-base would be defeated. The Senate is not supposed to be partisan but is to provide sober second-thought to legislation brought forward by the parliamentarians. By changing those dynamics the Harperites and the Cretianists have created a monster that suddenly no one wants any more. Perfect for a power-hungry prime minister who then has less hurdles to cross in order to bring in laws and programs suitable to his or her (I wish) philosophy.
And furthermore, the antics in the House of Commons turn off potential voters to the point where little positive regard is left for how things are being done in Ottawa. Teachers are reluctant to take students there on field trips anymore because the teachers don't want their students to learn by example. The media is complicit in that it shows news clips of the highlights of the yelling and put-downs that are now all too common. It's the Canadian version of reality shows on TV. I'm waiting for this to be spoofed on some comedy show. Or has it been done already?
Again, the Harperites are saying that we need a majority to bring stabilization to this chaotic version of the House of Commons. What he's doing is setting us up to believe that only with the Harperites in power will there be stability and civility.
We will soon find out how gullible we are. Come May 2 we will know whether this cruel, calculating strategy has worked. If it has, I have to wonder what comes next? Controlling the media and the public so that there are no embarrassing revelations that would give the government a negative light? Will there be tons of propaganda in our mailboxes and on TV promoting the good the government is doing for us?
I imagine the government will moderate its behaviour enough to stay in power but without external checks it may try to go where no democracy should go.
Only time will tell.