Double-double take? The federal election drops by the coffee shop

There is perhaps a no more iconic image of this marathon election campaign than a simple cup of coffee. The elixir transcends political boundaries, appearing in all three of the major parties' campaigns.

Java has kept the leaders and their staffers fully fuelled, provided the perk-fect photo op and a coffee-related incident even caused one candidate to bow out. 

• Tim Hortons: Backdrop for political photo-ops of all stripes
• Dictionary of Canadian politics aims to demystify obscure lingo

NDP Leader Tom Mulcair ignited some coffee controversy on Tuesday, when he revealed that he prefers a Starbucks brew to Tim Hortons.

"The espresso at Starbucks has really been fuelling this campaign," Mulcair said in an interview with CTV, though he quickly added that some of his aids have made late-night trips to Timmy's for a box of Timbits.

Some Twitter users were shocked that Mulcair would snub a national institution.

But that revelation should come as no surprise to astute campaign watchers. 

While Mulcair hasn't had any photo-ops at Tim Hortons, he has actually donned the signature green apron of a Starbucks barista, stopping in at the Erin Mills Town Centre location in Mississauga, Ont., in August.

But it isn't all about Starbucks.

Mulcair's made a few other photo-op coffee stops, including at Coffee Culture in St. Catharines, Ont., and at Revel Café in Stratford, Ont.

One of his early campaign ads was even set in a coffee shop, with imagery of a café opening for a day, coffee cups being stacked on top of each other in stop motion and Mulcair sitting alongside a steaming cup of joe.

With all this java, one journalist called him out for his peculiar pronunciation of his beloved espresso.

A Canadian Press reporter claimed that Mulcair makes the common mistake of pronouncing the Italian staple as "ex-presso." But social media quickly came to his defence.

The Conservatives even seem to be using coffee in their attack ads against Mulcair.

A Tory flyer critical of Mulcair and NDP policies features, somewhat strangely, a prominent coffee stain on its faux NDP platform document. 

The Liberals have been getting their campaign coffee fix as well.

Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau has been photographed serving up espressos, coffees and donuts several times on the campaign trail, including at Rustic Bakery in North York, Ont., and at a Tim Hortons in Gatineau, Que.

Trudeau has been the subject of coffee controversy, too, because he doesn't even drink it.

Back in 2013, Trudeau told a reporter that he does not indulge in coffee. The revelation caused all sorts reaction, and some serious backlash, online. It prompted Trudeau to address the controversy publicly on Twitter.

A Liberal spokesperson confirmed to CBC News Wednesday that despite the demands of this lengthy campaign, Trudeau still doesn't drink coffee.

Meanwhile, Conservative Leader Stephen Harper is a fixture at Tim Hortons.

He's made several campaign stops at Tims around the country during the campaign, including one in North Vancouver, B.C., and another in Gananoque, Ont.

Parli, an online Canadian politics dictionary, has even coined the term "Tim Hortons voter," in a nod to Harper's Conservative base. The dictionary says these kinds of voters are known to embrace the Tims brand and tend to pit themselves against the so-called elitist "Starbucks voters."

Harper worked the counter at the Gananoque, Ont., Tims and caused quite the stir.

RAW: Stephen Harper makes campaign stop at a Tim Hortons

9 years ago

Duration 0:45

"Tell me what to do, just don’t let me handle the cash," the Prime Minister jokes as he serves coffee to supporters in Gananoque, Ont.

While getting ready to serve some customers, Harper said, "tell me what to do, just don't let me handle the cash."

After a video of the instance was posted, the line was mocked on social media. 

But the most famous coffee cup belonged to another Conservative — and it didn't even have coffee in it.

Jerry Bance, the service technician and now-former Conservative candidate, shot to social media stardom when it was revealed he was caught peeing into a mug three years ago on an episode of CBC's investigative series Marketplace. The internet was quick to dub the instance #peegate. 

Bance was quickly dropped from the Conservative slate for not being truthful during the candidate screening process, but the infamous incident continues to be mocked online.