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Unleashing the hounds

Adam Radwanski, September 11, 2008 at 1:54 PM EST

"I have set a tone for this campaign," Stephen Harper told a Quebec audience a few minutes ago in response to the Ryan Sparrow debacle. He sure did. But that tone hasn't been set during the race itself; it was set for many months leading up to it.

Time and again, the Tories were criticized for going too far in their attacks on anyone who crossed them - from suggesting Navdeep Bains had terror links to their assaults on various public officials to the juvenile junk on their website. Time and again, they dismissed the criticism as some vast media conspiracy against them. Had they thought through it, they would've realized those media conspirators were doing them a favour.

Truth is, you can get away with a lot between elections, when most Canadians are paying fleeting attention at best. Outside of the chattering classes, the consequences of the criticism they took at various points was pretty minimal. But it was also foreshadowed what would happen when voters were paying attention, if the Tories didn't tone it down.

They may, in fact, have tried - or at least wanted - to tone it down. Maybe that was part of the plan, to go with the soft-sell TV ads. But the problem is, you can't spend a couple of years encouraging your attack dogs to lunge at every passer-by, and then expect that in the heat of an election campaign - when they're stressed out and sleep-deprived - they're suddenly going to stop frothing at the mouth.

The good news for the Tories, it what's proven to be a borderline disastrous first week, is that a lot of Canadians still aren't paying attention. Their puffin- and Sparrow-stained campaign has been thrown badly off message and set up a very unfavourable narrative, but there's still time to change it. The problem is, this goes well beyond Ryan Sparrow. It all depends whether the other attack dogs can safely be brought back in the cage.

  1. What's up with the un-human -like gap between Harper's eyes? from Calgary, Canada writes: .

    Sad but true.

    The cons are nothing but a bunch of brown-shirts who have nothing but disdain for democracy.
  2. Mike McBright from Burlington, Canada writes: I bet $ 50 the Globe supports the Liberals. I feel it in my bones. The headlines tell all.
  3. Randal Oulton from Toronto, Canada writes: I think the attack dogs are in all parties, sadly.

    As Joe Clark wrote in this paper a day or two again, in his 50 years of Canadian politics he has never known it to be so vicious and nasty on all sides.
  4. Joe Little from Cowtown, Canada writes: Right on. Unfortunately Harpo gangs will not listen.
  5. gary wilson from Calgary, writes: I keep watching these pit-bull attack ads, undignified webistes, and Harper's over-the-top fear monguering on other the other parties perfectly rationale policies. And I keep telling myself it doesn't have to be this way. We don't have to accept such sewere politics.
  6. Mark S Noel from Canada writes: "...from suggesting Navdeep Bains had terror links to their assaults on various public officials..."

    I wonder if Adam is refering to the Liberal Patronage Civil Servant who closed down a nuclear reactor for no reason other than to try and put the Tories into a bad light, thereby endanering Canada lives? No Adam people who risk the lives of Canada's to plan politics get what they deserve.
  7. Mike Baker from Iqaluit, Canada writes:
    This is an election! A major event in the life of a democracy! Attack dogs or lap dogs or just plain dogs ... This isn't the time to keep hidden and muted in a cage; this is their prime time to speak to the public, not because they've been asked to, but because they must. It'd be a rather curious election if candidates of one persuasion or the other couldn't speak - and speak effectively to local and national issues hopefully - to voters.

    If they are incorrigible attack dogs, I'd rather that come out during an election. That sort of character is a symptom of other frailties that have no place in a position of responsibility such as the one fulfilled by an MP - or more importantly, Canada's Prime Minister.
  8. D K from Calgary, Canada writes: Gap: You know who it is appropriate to compare brownshirts to? Nazis. And noone else. It trivializes the Holocaust to do otherwise, and is generally insulting to suggest as you do that conservatism is an illegimate political belief. It's fine and good to disagree and prefer different policies, but your critique goes too far.
  9. Toby Maloney from Winnipeg, Canada writes: I wonder if Mark Noel knows that his talking points were refuted in 2007 and that he shouldn't keep pretending that it was a bad bureaucrat when ...

    a) Gary Lunn ignored warnings about the situation;
    b) No one in the government ever even attempted to locate an alternate supply of isotopes; and
    c) AECL, the source of the incompetence at issue, was at the time headed up by a certain Mr. Burns, an oil industry executive parachuted in over career nuclear industry adminstrators, against the advice of both internal and external review panels, by none other than the Harper government.

    And even if it's all down to those darn Liberals, at one point are the Conservatives going to DO something about it, rather than look for people to blame?
  10. Peter Bojkov from Vaughan ON, writes: The sad news for Mr Radwanski and G&M is, they no longer control the narrative in this country in general, and for this campaign in particular. And the circulation and ad revenue is falling... The MSNBC syndrom's knocking on the left media's door
  11. True North from Canada writes: Harper did indeed set the tone of the election for his party - at the press conference announcing the election, Harper said it would be "nasty". Harper is just getting what he asked for.
  12. Derek Holtom from swan river (only cowards attack others using fake names), Canada writes: wait for the lipstick remarks to come out
    I can go through each party and point out something extremely stupid they've done or said in this first week
    some have gotten more attention than others
    just wait for the debates.
  13. Edward Mulcare from Canada writes: Dump the con men! VOTE ABC! (anything but CON-servative)
  14. Shawn Bull from Canada writes: The Tories are enjoying a 10 plus point lead. Let's try to fly below the radar Conservative party. The morre Dion talks the more support the Conservatives gain. The more the Conservative attacks the more support leaks to other parties.

    So in short, Conservatives please sit down and shut up and ride to your majority. You'll have plenty of time to talk during the debates.
  15. Erin Voegeli from Canada writes: Shawn Bull from Canada writes: "So in short, Conservatives please sit down and shut up and ride to your majority. You'll have plenty of time to talk during the debates. "

    It's just too bad they keep opening their mouths and revealing themselves as ignorant and incompetent. I think most people would rather know about the nature of the government they are voting for.

    Such a shame that they continually trip up and create cracks in the facade. Really, such a shame.
  16. George Tesseris from Toronto, Canada writes: Some of you may have seen me posting about ethanol on these boards. You may be wondering why. Last spring in the middle of the food crisis, parliament passed legislation targeting 5% ethanol content in gasoline. The Tories were in favour of this legislation, the Liberals cautiously so. Doesn’t sound like much? If that standard was adopted worldwide, the International Energy Agency estimates that over 15% of the earth’s farmland would have to be diverted to fuel crops. Fifteen percent of the world’s farmland feeds one billion people. See the problem? Canada is not alone in this pickle, but if we’re not part of the solution, we’re part of the problem. Stephen Harper is an economist. He understands budgets, deficits and polls. Why won’t he understand that ethanol is a grave threat to humanity? Why did he hire the head of the CRFA (the ethanol lobby) as his communications director a couple of months ago? And did you know that the current head of the CRFA was once with the Ministry of Agriculture? Harper’s problem isn’t that he doesn’t get it. It's that he's in too deep, he really really wants to win this election, and he has a deficit of courage and integrity. Don't let this be about farmers. Nobody wants farmers to starve. But surely no farmer would want one billion people to starve either, or the chaos that would befall the rest of us. There has to be better agricultural policy than ethanol, and there's a whole ministry that should be looking for it. If you’re on these boards then you’re probably pretty bright. Maybe you’re in politics or the media. Sure, ethanol is an unsexy issue, but dig deeper. Don’t let yourself be manipulated by fuzzy sweaters, gracious apologies for defecating puffins, or leaders that think they're smarter than you are. Think about things that really matter. We are Canadian. We’re fair, compassionate, reasonable, courageous. And we matter. Dammit. stopethanol.blogspot.com
  17. James O'Keefe from Toronto, Canada writes: Radwankerski wrote - But the problem is, you can't spend a couple of years encouraging your attack dogs to lunge at every passer-by, and then expect that in the heat of an election campaign - when they're stressed out and sleep-deprived - they're suddenly going to stop frothing at the mouth. --------------- Actually Rad, yes you can expect them to keep their vitriol in check - it's called discipline. Our soldiers in Afghanistan successfully practise it daily. Sparrow needs to be turfed for that comment. If he had uses his brain and listened to what was said - the father supported the Afghan mission - then he would have kept his mouth shut, or used the comment to show how Canadians who were hurt the most by this war still beleive in the necessity of it.
  18. Canada's worth saving from Canada writes: Toby Maloney from Winnipeg, Canada:

    Thank you. Facts are a welcome change to these comment threads.

    Mike McBright from Burlington and Peter Bojkov from Vaughan ON:

    The G&M endorsed Harper's Conservatives in the last election. And since when is CTVGlobeMedia leftist? It's parent to right-leaning CTV, the A channels, this pro-market newspaper, the Report on Business magazine, and scads of radio and sports stations, after all.
  19. Bobby Dy from Canada writes: Shawn Bull, yes, please keep quiet. We can't have the public finding out just how nasty you people really are.
  20. vid ingelevics from Canada writes: Randal Oulton from Toronto, Canada writes: "I think the attack dogs are in all parties, sadly."

    Sorry, you can't spin it like that. No, the attack dogs are primarily in the Tory party, like Van Loan or are their apparatchiks, like Sparrow. Joe Clark was refering to the unsurpassed ugliness that Harper, who really does "set the tone", has brought to Parliament with his simmering anger, secretiveness, control anxieties and utter contempt for anyone who disagrees with him.
  21. Chris Edwards from Greater Sudbury, Canada writes: Agreed Canada's worth saving. It is always a treat to read the much beloved "leftist media" conspiracy theories that fly everytime a newspaper reports - accuately I might add - on something that is in any way critical of the conservatives. Honestly, do these people not understand why free speech and a free press is an inalienable right? And further, have they no sense of history at all? The last election was won ENTIRELY in the media as they reported dutifully on every gaffe the Liberals made, and gleefully painted Paul Martin as wishy washy even though I've challenged conservative supporters who've said same and they could not, no the spot, give me one example of anything he had been wishy washy about.
  22. Fake Name from Canada writes: " gary wilson from Calgary, writes: I keep watching these pit-bull attack ads, undignified webistes, and Harper's over-the-top fear monguering on other the other parties perfectly rationale policies. And I keep telling myself it doesn't have to be this way. We don't have to accept such sewere politics."

    The others are hardly innocent either. The libbies compared harper to hitler, and the NDP has said some pretty impolite things.

    " Mark S Noel from Canada writes: I wonder if Adam is refering to the Liberal Patronage Civil Servant who closed down a nuclear reactor for no reason other than to try and put the Tories into a bad light, thereby endanering Canada lives?"

    You know what would really put the tories in a bad light? A nuclear accident on their watch. Linda Keen didn't have the legal power to sign an authorization for the reactor to operate without the mandatory safety equipment that was found to be missing during routine maintenance. That is not a partisan issue; she was merely following the rules.
  23. West Virginian Albino Mexican from Canada writes: What's up with the un-human -like gap between Harper's eyes? from Calgary, Canada writes: .

    Sad but true.

    The cons are nothing but a bunch of brown-shirts who have nothing but disdain for democracy.

    ==================================================

    Kinda like the LPC when they go around telling NDP, Greens, etc that their democratic right to vote for who they see fit isn't worth crap unless they vote for the LPC?
  24. Stan L from Canada writes: Derek Holtom from swan river (only cowards attack others using fake names), Canada writes: wait for the lipstick remarks to come out
    I can go through each party and point out something extremely stupid they've done or said in this first week some have gotten more attention than others.....

    While it is true that you can pull out examples, a handful of similar and weak examples from other parties do not make up for a two and half year concerted campaign to polarize the country, to spread misinformation, run attack ads, pounce on every one that opposes you instead of actual debate, feed the faithful with crafted scripts to call-in to talk shows and write letters to the editor and generally create a 'sick' environment in the HOC with the 'tenor' of the discourse......In short, trying to paint them all with the same brush is misleading, the conservatives haven't stop campaigning since they got into office and now it is showing.
  25. True Conservative in the West from Canada writes: You hit the nail on the head with this one, He did set the tone with his Republican style attack politics.

    They don't deal with the issues they just play partisan games and the politics of personality.

    Canada deserves better than this substance free political theatre that Harper has given us.

    And just like his Republican cohorts he turns around does the 'Who me??' routine while claiming the exact opposite of reality.

    Thankfully we've had 8 years of watching this kind of nonsense south of the border and the calamity it results in, Canada should say no this perilous path the Cons are taking us on.
  26. Michele K from Ottawa, Canada writes: "Truth is, you can get away with a lot between elections, when most Canadians are paying fleeting attention at best."

    Good post Adem, but I don't think you got it exactly right - they get away with a lot between elections because between them, we, the electorate, are pretty much powerless - witness how we extended the mission to Afghanistan when a clear majority of Canadians were against it, as just one example among many.

    But it's not that we've all but the politically-active not been paying attention. Clearly a significant number HAVE been paying attention, but it is only now, during an election campaign when we pretty much must be listened to, that we are expressing our opinions on what we've been observing all along.

    As gary wilson from Calgary, writes: "I keep watching these pit-bull attack ads, undignified webistes, and Harper's over-the-top fear monguering on other the other parties perfectly rationale policies. And I keep telling myself it doesn't have to be this way. We don't have to accept such sewere politics."

    I think Gary Wilson represents a much larger part of the population than the Cons think - but I guess, only election day will tell for sure.
  27. True Conservative in the West from Canada writes:
    Michele K from Ottawa, Canada writes:
    I think Gary Wilson represents a much larger part of the population than the Cons think - but I guess, only election day will tell for sure.

    =========

    We can only hope as well as inform the people you know, family, friends, whomever of what these Regressive Reformers are really like.
  28. Trillian Rand from Canada writes: From the article: "The good news for the Tories, it what's proven to be a borderline disastrous first week, is that a lot of Canadians still aren't paying attention."

    It's not only ordinary Canadians that aren't paying attention, a lot of the media aren't either. Television news coverage can only be called sparse. Outside the major cities, local papers are not only devoid of irate partisan letters to the editors, but there is little in the way of party advertising, editorials, or any other indication that a national election is in full swing.

    Where are the lawn signs, the barbecues, the candidates strolling from door to door with neon smiles and fact-filled pamphlets? This could very easily be the election everyone but the leaders forgot. In fact, with so much emphasis on the leaders, one sometimes wonders if anyone else is running. Even the comments on this site seem scarce, some article gathering as few as one or two comments before they are pulled.

    Wake up Canada, before someone else chooses your next government for you.
  29. globefan Eh from Canada writes: Canada's worth saving, you see it much as I do about ownership of Canadian media..The left hasn't much support at all..even the good old CBC appears to be making a sail change with Harper in power.
  30. Michele K from Ottawa, Canada writes: Doing what I can, True Conservative.

    Any chance you can call my mom in BC? She doesn't seem to want to hear it from me ;)

    Trillan, I don't agree that Canadians aren't paying attention (although we can probably agree that not enough are), but your point about the media not doing their job? Right on. They're letting us all down - again.
  31. Bob ... from Canada writes: DK:

    Would it be wrong to compare Mugabe's "veterans" to brownshirts simply because he has not opened any death camps yet?

    I don't think it is fair to compare Harper to Hitler. Despite the often unadulterated hate for liberals, "lefties", non-white immigrants, and other imagined 'enemies of the state' spewed by some of his supporters on these forums, Harper himself is too risk averse (and, probably, not nasty enough) to be Hitler.

    That said, there is a certain "spiritual" similarity (and, of course, a universe of difference in terms of degree of extremity) between the lowbrow "dirty" campaigns of today (regardless of the perpetrators) and the equally lowbrow politics of attack and intimidation perfected by Hitler in the Thirties.

    Remember, it was the loud vilification of his enemies, real or imagined, and the suppression of opposing voices, often violently by the brownshirts, that allowed Hitler to engineer a holocaust from relatively small and seemingly innocuous (even laughable) beginnings...
  32. Orest Zarowsky from Toronto, Canada writes: "While it is true that not all conservatives are stupid, it is also true that most stupid people are conservative." - John Stuart Mill.

    See the CPC shills and hacks posting here for detail - especially the likes of Mark S Noel.
  33. Paul who is from Vancouver, Canada writes: .
    Harper has set the tone all right.

    Ryan Sparrow isn't some overeager pizza-eating teenage volunteer.

    He is a key campaign official who has been working in media relations for the Conservatives since before the 2006 election.

    That's why Harper didn't fire him.

    He was just doing his job.

    Before he sent the e-mail to the CTV producer he actually phoned her up with the same message.

    What did he think CTV would do with the e-mail?

    AND THEN

    When reporters tried to seek comment from the PM on Sparrow's suspension, Conservative party officials and RCMP (who are only supposed to protect the PM and not prevent reporters from asking questions) blocked them and attempted to send them away.

    Conservative party spokeswoman Carolyn Stewart-Olsen: "I want that camera outta here"

    She wants that camera 'outta here'?

    How about that for democracy?

    Who are these people who feel entitled to order the RCMP to stop reporters from asking questions during an election?

    You can stop the phony Mister Rogers routine now Stephen Harper.

    A REAL leader would have fired him.
  34. Stewart Mawdsley from Canada writes: Excellent posts Michelle K and Paul who - especially the point about the misuse of the RCMP. Can't take the heat? I guess instead of getting out of the kitchen they just hire guards for the spilt soup.
  35. p lailey from vancouver, Canada writes: Nice column. Can we expect a similar column tomorrow about how Dion set the tone for Bedard's racist remarks. I wonder what you would write if Bedard was with the CPC?
  36. Catherine Wilkie from Canada writes: I want to know where the detention hall for Ryan Sparrow is. And does he have a cell phone? A black-berry? Or, is his suspension a token gesture. Like Lukiswki. Or, the Puffin man.
  37. Trillian Rand from Canada writes: Michele K from Ottawa:

    Point taken. I just have this sinking feeling that the turnout will be even lower than last time (I believe it was something like 64%), which means any 'winner' needs such a small percentage of the total possible electorate as to make the whole system nearly useless.

    No wonder so many people complain that their representatives don't take them seriously. Why should they when voters don't take the system or their own responsibilities seriously?

    Frankly, I'd like to see fewer opinion pieces about the latest silliness of one leader or another and more on how we are giving our rights away and about the possible consequences of the great Canadian apathy. I know it's a fantasy, but I can hope, can't I?
  38. diane marie from calgary, Canada writes: Some posters who shall remain nameless seem to be missing the point. It is one thing for a party to end up with a politically incorrect and/or embarrassing candidate - it can happen and has happened to all parties and is a test of that party's leadership - and entirely another when the egregious behaviour is part of the party's electoral strategy, a strategy advanced by paid staffers.
  39. Ricky for a Centrist Canada from Canada writes:
    Con hack loser party will basically stop at nothing to smear Dion.

    Naturally, idiots like Michael not-so-Sharp think it's okay.

    Sharp is a perfect example of the CPC's core supporter - not to mention an exact example of who they have working for them on the campaign.

    Classless, tasteless, ignorant, inflammatory.

    And liars, to boot.
  40. D. B. from Greater Sask., Canada writes: Yes, Harper has set a tone for this campaign. The evidence of what kind of tone that might be is there for all to see.
  41. Ricky for a Centrist Canada from Canada writes:
    p lailey - please identify examples of the liberals using the same tactics.

    Surf the disgrace known as conservative.ca and tell me where the LPC have stooped as low, personal, and gutter-level as they have.

    Which party has been running TV ads for the last year - not about policy - but directly attacking the personality, integrity, and character of the leader of the opposition?

    Incidentally, the GM was all over the LPC when the "guns in our streets" video surfaced - one that NEVER RAN PUBLICLY ON TV, I might add. And that obvious error was more than eclipsed by the "Paul Martin supports child pornography" smear. Not to mention the RCMP-aided Ralph Goodale smear.

    So please - don't even try to compare. You'll just embarrass yourself.
  42. D G from Canada writes: Honestly - I wish the HoC would just ban the attack ads. If you wanna advertise, great, but tell us what YOU PLAN ON DOING.
  43. Anthony B from Maritimes, Canada writes: What if they held an election and nobody voted?

    We're faced with some pretty dismal choices: a guy who can't be trusted, one who can't be understood, and the fellow who couldn't sell you a used car.

    What happened to leaders with vision?
  44. p lailey from vancouver, Canada writes: And once again the polls show just how far out of touch the political pundits are with reality. The CPC had a terrible week according to the pundits. Adam, in fact gave Harper a "D" and Dion a "C" on his report card. And yet according to the polls Harper is on the verge of a major breakthrough in Quebec and the Liberals will be basically decimated west of Ontario. Of course it's still early days but what this shows is that while the press is fixated on the minutae of Pooping puffins, the public is more interested in the real issues: a carbon tax, the economy, Afghansitan etc.
  45. p lailey from vancouver, Canada writes: Further to my last post, it looks like the CPC benefitted from this "borderline disastrous" first week as the CBC reports in the lates CP/Harris-Decima poll:

    "The Conservatives have continued to gain ground after the first several days of the Oct. 14 federal election campaign, according to a newly released poll.

    Nationally, the Conservatives lead with 41 per cent of the public's support, followed by the Liberals at 26 per cent, while the NDP are at 14 per cent support, said the Canadian Press-Harris/Decima rolling survey, in partnership with the CBC.

    The Green Party trails with nine per cent support, while eight per cent of respondents said they favoured the Bloc Québécois."
  46. Moe Labelle from Canada writes: You can dress a pig in a blue sweater but at the end of the day it's still a pig!
  47. Moe Labelle from Canada writes: According to Tom Flanagan, a former chief of staff to Harper and a political scientist at the University of Calgary, this election is part of a srtategy to destroy the Liberal Party. I kid you not!

    "I don't think Harper has to be thinking about a majority at all," Flanagan said in an interview.
    "Strategically, this is sort of a prolonged war of attrition."

    As Flanagan sees it, the first major battle in this incremental war occurred in 2004, when Harper managed to reduce Paul Martin's Liberals to a minority. In the second clash in 2006, Harper won his own Conservative minority.

    The third skirmish likely won't kill what Flanagan jokingly refers to as "the evil empire." But, if the Tories can win a few more seats at the Liberals' expense -- an outcome Flanagan considers realistic given Harper's superior campaign skills and the Tories' fatter war chest -- he predicted that would be enough to throw the Grits into a longterm tailspin that could eventually lead to their demise.

    See more at:

    http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20080827/Harperstrategy_080827/20080827
  48. I am a 416 Liberal and I am smarter! from Canada writes: Mr. Radwanski, is there anything more that we as concerned 416-area Liberals can do to highlight the true election issues of puffins and sparrows to Canadians? Beyond the Liberal-biased G&M, Toronto Star CBC and CTV I mean. It seems to me that despite our best efforts to pump and highlight these massive policy blunders by the conservatives, and minimize innocent little mistakes by Liberal candidates such as calling for "native genocide" (like this should even be an issue) the word is not getting out beyond 416 (and Danny Williams audience). Should we as Liberals just stick to the "Harper is Bush", "Harper is evil", "If you give them a majority, feral dogs will roam the streets of your community at night" scare tactics? Or should we attempt to also "flood" the leadership debates with LPC supporters and every time Harper tries to speak all shout "Whananananah. Whananananah." at the same time until he sits down?
  49. rick from river city from Canada writes: diane marie from calgary, Canada writes: Some posters who shall remain nameless seem to be missing the point. It is one thing for a party to end up with a politically incorrect and/or embarrassing candidate - it can happen and has happened to all parties and is a test of that party's leadership - and entirely another when the egregious behaviour is part of the party's electoral strategy, a strategy advanced by paid staffers.

    Hi DM.. 'part of the party strategy'? I highly doubt staffers were instructed to insult all fathers of dead soldiers so I am curious what this alleged strategy you refer to actually is.
  50. rick from river city from Canada writes: Moe Labelle from Canada writes: You can dress a pig in a blue sweater but at the end of the day it's still a pig!

    You can dress a pig in green and put lipstick on it but it is still a pig.
  51. Michele K from Ottawa, Canada writes: Trillan, I'm hopeful too, but also with quite a knot in my stomach. It is about turn-out and I think you're right that many won't :(
  52. p lailey from vancouver, Canada writes: Apparently the puffin does not have legs. Results from CTV online poll (yes I know it's only an online poll):

    "Who scored best, the first week of the election campaign?


    Dion 363 votes (13 %)

    Duceppe 9 votes (0 %)

    Harper 1571 votes (56 %)

    Layton 357 votes (13 %)

    May 526 votes (19 %)


    Total Votes: 2826 "
  53. vid ingelevics from Canada writes: "Results from CTV online poll (yes I know it's only an online poll)"

    That's exactly what the Tory "war room" monitors and floods with so-called voters. At election time an on-line poll is worthless (if they ever have any value at all). All those high school kids staffing the bunker really have nothing better to do.
  54. p lailey from Canada writes: Wow! I have to give credit where credit i sdue. Jeffrey Simpson in his column just nailed the analysis of the election so far:

    "Conservative opponents regaled themselves at unexpected flashes of prime ministerial humility. They should have feared the Conservative Leader's apologies and changes of position, because these flashes fit with the Conservatives' effort to soften Mr. Harper's image, an effort that began with pre-election ads showing him in a sweater and talking about family.

    The media played up and delighted in the gaffes, invested them with headlines and analysis, and largely missed the reasons that the campaign's underlying trends were swinging steadily toward the Conservatives. "
  55. loraine lamontagne from Canada writes: Surprised that Mr. Radwanski fails to mention Harper's lawsuit against the Liberals, particularly in light of this week's developments. This also was planned months in advance and now Harper is trying to stop a lawsuit he himself initiated. I see Moe Labelle's point.
  56. pierre lefebvre from Brossard, Canada writes: Ryan Sparrow visual expression might have been shocking to many. News of Brault in Adscam and involvement of Corriveau along with Coderre is a far greater abuse of Canadian electorate. LPC has received $44 million of kick-back money by 2003. One has to figure out how much has been kept secret within the Dion organization to this day. Beginning in September this trial may make more revelations of their criminal activities. Quebecois must eradicate this Liberal brand (Dion, Trudeau, Garneau and Coderre) by election time.
  57. Compos Mentis from in the Darwinian Wild, Wild West..., Canada writes: Mark S Noel from Canada writes: ""...from suggesting Navdeep Bains had terror links to their assaults on various public officials..."

    I wonder if Adam is refering to the Liberal Patronage Civil Servant who closed down a nuclear reactor for no reason other than to try and put the Tories into a bad light, thereby endanering Canada lives? ..."

    Further to Toby's factual post, Mark ignores the inconvenient fact that Mr. Harper himself re-appointed Ms. Keen as the President of the CNSC.

    Also, it was Ms. Keen herself who pointed out to the Conservatives that they couldn't simply order her to ignore or override the legislation that required her to keep the Chalk River reactor shut down; that would require a vote in parliament (which did eventually occur).

    Sorry Noel, but this fiasco simply highlights a long list of Conservative incompetencies, no matter how you try to (retroactively) spin it.
  58. mynalee johnstone from saltspring island, Canada writes: If Harper wins, I will be very very depressed.
    I want a PM who can kind of delight me.
    Send him to Reform School.
    Is there any hope? ABC ABC ABC
  59. Michael Sharp from Victoria, Canada writes:

    The Liberals prepared their secret weapon.

    In the basement of a church in downtown Toronto, they brought the lights to bear.
    Slowly but surely, Rae and Ignatieff opened the package.

    A dozen weiners spilt out on the table.

    Victory was theirs!
  60. Misty Morning from Canada writes: I know about attack dogs. Well, yappy dogs that chase kids on bicycles, and joggers. Yeah. Everyone on the street hates them. Go yap some more. No one will weep when you get hit by the fast cars coming around the corner!
  61. Michael Sharp from Victoria, Canada writes:

    Nobody and I mean nobody has ever heard of an atttack Puffin.

    Sure, that's a big beak and they're wonderful at hiding poo, but packs of Puffins attacking people?

    Like that'll happen.

    Worst thing they'd do is crap on you.

    Liberals and puffins.
    The braintrust of Michael Ignatieff.
    Iggy is a weiner.
  62. Donalda Williams Clogg from Hudson, Canada writes: I think it is time to call Stephen Harper to account and now is the time. Important - he trampled on his own law for a set election date for his own benefit. He is showing very little leadership in the Afghan war. The situation is becoming more serious by the day. Even NATO is getting nervous. Why is this not an issue in this election. Our Canadian soldiers lives are in jeopardy. Why is the media not addressing such serious issues instead of concentrating on trivial questions about of all things birds and vegetables. One day should have been enough for Mr.Harper's juvenile staffers exploits. Let Canadians know what is really important to our country in this federal election.
  63. Mrs. Whiggins from Canada writes: Why such emphasis on toning it down? Harper is what he is; his supporters are what they are.

    Seems like half of them really couldn't care less about Canadians not in their particular sphere. Lucky them, not eating deli meats from Maple Leaf. Lucky them, not having parents or folk in places that serve deli meats apparently NOT inspected well by Health Canada or Health Minister Tony Clement.

    Face if folks, even if you could afford a private doctor ala Two-Tier Tony, chances are you'd be too sick to recover even in the best of care.

    The Harper government signed off on the cuts to Health and Food Safety, make no mistake.

    Same as the Harper government signed off on the nuclear reactors. Hey! Was that the last time Canadians saw Clement?
    Seems like.

    .
  64. Mrs. Whiggins from Canada writes: Donalda Williams, you said it!

    "He is showing very little leadership in the Afghan war. The situation is becoming more serious by the day. Even NATO is getting nervous. Why is this not an issue in this election. Our Canadian soldiers lives are in jeopardy."

    Harper is nowhere or all over the place on Afghanistan. Hillier flew the coop before Harper burned it down.

    Today, for my family, is a very good day. Our boys are home! They came back to Winnipeg and then to Edmonton, then home; and they're never going back to Afghanistan again! Wish it could be so for the next group.

    Stephen Harper did a great disservice to Canada and individual Canadians by issuing his end date cut and run policy, after all the time he spent on standing fast.

    World leaders and NATO don't have a clue where Stephen Harper stands when he says he Stands Up for Canada. Harper has left them in the lurch, and the Canadian soldiers who must obey the PM even when he clearly doesn't have a clue are also left serving under a prevaricating and opportunistic PM who's whims change from time to time, depending on votes.

    To all those other Canadian families welcoming their live sons and daughters home, their wounded, count your blessings. For each on of ours home safe and sound many other families are sending their very best to fight. And win. In spite of a Prime Minister who cares only about votes here, while sending Canada's best ostensibly to fight there for the right to vote or live freely.

    Remember. It was Stephen Harper who didn't want Canadians to see the toll taken in Canadian lives broadcast from the tarmac where the coffins come. Stephen Harper waves the Canadian flag proudly over the caskets of Canada's best, fallen. Yet never does Harper welcome them home.

    They are as chess pieces cast from the bigger game Harper plays. Mere pawns it seems. Just a friendly game before the fire waged by old friends and signifying nothing.
    .
  65. Mrs. Whiggins from Canada writes: Peter Bojkov from Vaughan ON, writes: The sad news for Mr Radwanski and G&M is, they no longer control the narrative in this country in general, and for this campaign in particular. And the circulation and ad revenue is falling... The MSNBC syndrom's knocking on the left media's door

    * Posted 11/09/08 at 3:29 PM EDT

    Because it's all done on Sunday at Eastgate and Rockpoint. Ordinary Canadians need not apply. Ordinary Canadians have been assimilated, the rest will be destroyed. If not by God's hand, then by God's right hand.

    What a bunch of religious fanatics run this country! Stephen Harper should be ashamed of himself.

    If ever the light shone on him alone he'd be crying like a baby, and pissing and mewling abjectly.

    Controlling the narrative, you say. Well then, it will be all your fault when your narrative falls on deaf ears and free people have their way with you. In your eye-for-an-eye world who will you trust then?

    Canadians simply cannot trust Stephen Harper to work for all Canada. He's simply not credible on an international scale let alone his own so-called country, and will be left behind.
    .
  66. Michele K from Ottawa, Canada writes: "Remember. It was Stephen Harper who didn't want Canadians to see the toll taken in Canadian lives broadcast from the tarmac where the coffins come. Stephen Harper waves the Canadian flag proudly over the caskets of Canada's best, fallen. Yet never does Harper welcome them home."

    This is a big one for me, Mrs. Whiggins - it's 1984 and Harper is Our Glorious Leader.

    Glad to hear your family members are home safe and and sound.
  67. Eel Expert from Canada writes: to all of the Cons who come into the forum and diss the G&M's credibility.

    One function of a free press in a self-governing society is to serve the public's interest in learning the truth. Unlike individual citizens, the media have the resources to check facts and to separate truth from falsity in a professional and objective manner. The media can be a relatively neutral and detached referee when one side accuses the other of lying, and the capacity of the press to help resolve such factual disputes can serve as a powerful restraint on political lies.

    This is precisely why those who embrace a strategy of political lying make a concerted effort to denigrate the credibility of the press. This is why at the Republican national convention, speaker after speaker vehemently attacked what Fred Thompson described as "the media big shots." If the strategy is to lie, then it is necessary to destroy the standing of the one institution with the power to exact a penalty for lying.

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