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Warren Kinsella is on Parliament Hill this week. Visitors had best watch their step.

As the Toronto-based Liberal strategist watched from across the street, a horse and buggy clip-clopped its way to the doors of the Confederation Building. The live backdrop was part of a stunt criticizing Conservative senate appointments, some of whom were being sworn in today.

Liberals then rolled out a large banner, crowning Prime Minister Stephen Harper as the king of patronage.

"Stephen Harper, who has talked so much against the Senate, who said he would never appoint senators in this country, is now the patronage senator king by appointing 27 senators in one year - and we're only at September as of yet," said Liberal MP Wayne Easter, who was joined by fellow MPs Siobhan Coady and Bonnie Crombie.

"It shows this Prime Minister, he can't be trusted in terms of his word and what he says. It is the absolute in hypocrisy," Mr. Easter said.

The tone of the event was a clear departure for the Liberals of late, who boast they are taking the high road in the ongoing television ad war. Canadians are currently being bombarded by Conservative ads attacking Michael Ignatieff and Liberal ads introducing Mr. Ignatieff in a forest, wearing a blue dress shirt, speaking about the future.

Yet Mr. Easter insisted his party is still taking the high road.

"Our leader of the party is very clearly taking the high road in the ads that we've put out, trying to spell out the positive things there is about the Liberal party and what we can do in Canada," he said.

The Bureau Blog had to ask: "You're standing in front of a horse and buggy with a big banner, and you're saying you're taking the high road?"

"Uh… yes we are," Mr. Easter replied. "We've always taken the high road. We're outlining the facts in terms of Stephen Harper and his word."

Mr. Kinsella, the author of Kicking Ass in Canadian Politics, watched the stunt unfold while listening to earphones and leaning against a lamp post. He declined comment on the event.

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