It's political tradition to crow over an opponent. But one man's funny is another's whack on the head with a hammer, especially in today's Liberal Party.
When the Prime Minister was pushing forward Bill C-24, a law to replace corporate donations to political parties with taxpayer subsidies, Liberal Party president Stephen LeDrew called the idea "dumb as a bag of hammers."
Yesterday, Mr. LeDrew opened a package from Prime Minister Jean Chrétien's right-hand-man, Eddie Goldenberg. Inside was a bag of hammers. A Canadian Tire bag with five hammers, to be precise. The note, however, was terse:
"Mr. LeDrew," it reads. "Now that C-24 is the law of the land, we in the PMO thought you might be able to use these to knock some sense into your head."
Although there had been coolness between Mr. LeDrew and the PMO -- Mr. LeDrew has not spoken to Mr. Chrétien since last summer and Mr. Goldenberg personally steered the political finance bill -- Mr. LeDrew said he thought the gift was "hilarious." Until he read the note.
"Did you think it was funny? It wouldn't pass manners class where I come from, in Petrolia."
Campbell Clark