The tastelessness of the Conservatives

I cannot believe that the Conservatives would post an add involving a puffin ... erm ... relieving itself ... on Stephane Dion's shoulder. Don't get me wrong - I know Canadian politics of late has taken a major shift into the American direction of attack ads and - in my opinion - unnecessary harshness instead of civil debate. However, one thing I've been proud of us of is that despite that, it still tends to revolve around the 'Issues'. For example, I'm not a fan of the Conservative radio ads attacking Stephane Dion's carbon tax - have you heard those 'call-in commercials'? - however, as short-sighted, misguided and simplistic as they are, they are about an issue. This, however, is ridiculous.

Have we not learned from Kim Campbell's unflattering ad focusing on Jean Chretien's Bell's Palsy-afflicted face some fifteen years ago which ended up backfiring on herself and the Conservatives? All I can hope, as a Liberal but moreso as a Canadian, is that we recognize we should not be voting on October 14 for the best campaigner for the position of Prime Minister, but the best Prime Minister. And I believe that is Stephane Dion. While he is not especially charismatic - when he makes Stephen frickin' Harper look like a rock star, that's an admitted understatement - or a great orator or an inspiring leader, he is a very intelligent, competent man who will do a good job at the helm of our country. And I wish we as a nation would realize that, instead of falling for negative campaigning simply because we centre-lefties don't roll in the mud with Harper's pigs.

Oh well ... at least these ads, as Dion pointed out, reflect more on the Conservatives than the Liberals, and the PM himself was issuing apologies today, finding himself off-message early in the campaign. Interesting times ahead, as much as I'm afraid this particular election will lead to more of the same - if not worse, a Conservative majority government. Oh well ... go Dion. For more information on the Liberal Party and their leader, please check out these sites:

http://www.liberal.ca
http://www.thisisdion.com

And for more on the REAL Conservatives, check out http://www.scandalpedia.ca.