The Razor's Edge.

Basically, Occam's Razor is the principle that given the choice between a simple explanation and a complex one, go with simple. It's usually right.

So, it's kind of surprising that, in the wake of a rapid succession of gloomy poll numbers for the CPC, some still posit that there's even the teeniest possibility that PM Harper knew exactly what he was doing with this latest prorogation of parliament.

"This is no mistake by the Conservatives", they say, nodding authoritatively.

They go on to tell you that Harper wants an election and gave the Liberals something they can rally around. When the opposition forces an election, this issue will quickly lose it legs and the polls will revert back to their pre-prorogation levels. Then they tap their nose like Patrick McNee in 'The Avengers'.

Wow that's some pretty awesome 4-dimensional chess being attributed to Harper:

"In the dead of a quiet holiday week, I shall prorogue parliament. Knowing Canadians do care, I shall yet steadfastly maintain that they don't. The outrage generated shall be further stoked by coming up with not one, but many, often contradictory, explanations for this prorogation.

Then, the furor will only grow, and as it spreads through social media and sternly worded letters to the editor from academics and such, I shall send my deftest ministers forth to denounce the backlash as mere utterances from that evil cabal, "The Chattering Classes."

Then those effete liberals will rally 'round. And when they step into my honey-trap to force an election, my calculations indicate that the issues will lose their legs and the numbers will rise to pre-prorogation levels.

Bwaa-ha-ha-ha."

Seriously. That seems to be pretty much what's being suggested by the 'Chess Master' theoreticians.

Sorry. Occam's Razor.

The man made a gross miscalculation.