News

Cultural issues and law and order marked the divide between Stephen Harper and his rivals Tuesday, as the Conservative Leader draped himself in populism and said he sided with regular folks who aren't troubled that his policies rile fat-cat artists or people “in ivory towers.”

Mr. Harper would not, however, repeat in French his criticisms of artists, for outrage at his party's culture platform is most outspoken in Quebec.

For a second day in a row, Mr. Harper portrayed himself as being tough on crime as he pledged to put forward a new bill to restrict the use of house arrest.

Mr. Harper said that he believes such a measure is popular with ordinary Canadians so that, even if he winds up with a minority government, he will use public opinion to dare the Opposition to defeat it.

“When we get elected on a mandate, and that mandate, particularly in the area of criminal justice is overwhelmingly supported by the population of Canada, yes, we are going to use public opinion as a tool to get our criminal justice legislation through,” he said.

His political foes, meanwhile, tried to capitalize on anger at the Tories' arts cuts in Quebec.

It remained unclear how their message would play in the hinterland Quebec ridings that the Conservatives hope to pry from the Bloc Québécois, away from Montreal's pro-sovereignty artistic colony.

However, the three major opposition parties were attacking Mr. Harper's views of culture, with NDP Leader Jack Layton and Bloc Leader Gilles Duceppe attending a Montreal rally with Quebec artists.

“We need to stop this man. He wants to pit everyone against everyone: Canadians against their artists,” Liberal Leader Stéphane Dion said as he visited the North Vancouver film set for an American TV horror series Harper's Island.

In Saskatoon, Mr. Harper said no government can pour money into arts programs forever, calling them “a niche issue for some.”

“When ordinary working people come home, turn on the TV and see a gala of a bunch of people … all subsidized by the taxpayers claiming their subsidies aren't high enough when they know their subsidies have actually gone up, I'm not sure that's something that resonates with ordinary people,” Mr. Harper said in English.

He declined to repeat his comment in French.

Mr. Duceppe later accused him of using “doublespeak” while Mr. Layton challenged him to reiterate his remark in French.

The Conservatives promised a new bill restricting the use of house arrests, taking a second crack after the Opposition watered down their first initiative – and this time threatening an election if it is blocked.

Some critics contend that removing conditional sentences will have little impact on crime because judges can order short jail terms, suspended sentences or probation.

Mr. Harper said those critics are soft on crime. “The vast majority of police and law enforcement officials, victims of crime, and ordinary people who have organized criminal justice groups … that's who we're listening to, not people who work in ivory towers.”

In Quebec, meanwhile, Mr. Layton went on an all-out offensive, promising better funding, even pulling out a guitar and singing during an interview.

“What you have is Mr. Harper walking along, pretending he supports ... la nation québécoise, and then what is he doing? He's grabbing a hold of the aorta of the creative process and putting the squeeze on it,” Mr. Layton said at an alternative theatre venue in Quebec City.

With Quebec City a weak spot for his party, Mr. Duceppe was there, too, courting a Chamber of Commerce luncheon crowd.

In Quebec City alone, culture represented an economic sector that grew by 9.3 per cent in 2005 and generated $247-million in economic activities, he said.

Even some members of the provincial Action Démocratique du Québec caucus, whose leader Mario Dumont openly supports the Tories, were having doubts about backing the Conservatives.

“Personally I must admit that putting a 14-year-old youth in jail for life wouldn't be my first choice,” Éric Caire, a leading ADQ caucus voice, said Tuesday. “Between sharing certain ideas and in being in total accord with what is being proposed, there is a step that nobody in the ADQ is willing to take.”

Mr. Dion on Tuesday rejected the prospect of an alliance with the NDP. “We cannot have a coalition with a party that has a platform that would be damaging for the economy. Period,” he said.

At a rally in Surrey, B.C., last night, Mr. Harper used Mr. Layton's refusal to rule out a coalition with the Liberals to charge that the two opposition parties are almost the same.

“B.C. does not need the ‘me-too' Liberalism of the NDP,” he said.

Mr. Harper said opposition parties in a minority Parliament have to give the winner a chance, even if they could form a coalition.

“Whoever wins the election will have a mandate to govern. And I think it will be incumbent on the opposition parties at least for a period of time to respect that mandate.”

In British Columbia, the NDP lost a candidate, its third of the campaign, when Julian West, who ran in the Saanich-Gulf Islands riding, quit after renewed controversy over his skinny-dipping in front of a group of teenagers 12 years ago.

“We're certainly going to have to review how we can ensure that candidates are straight up with us about their histories,” Mr. Layton said.

With a report from Rhéal Séguin in Quebec

Week 3 of the campaign

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