HARPER CONTINUES HIS BOORISH WAYS

Conservative Spokesman

Buoyed by their early success in the use of attack ads against Stephane Dion, Bush's pal Steve Harper and his cronys have decided to continue the Conservative patented boorish methods of denigrating their political opponents. They have brought out some new anti-Liberal ads designed to be be seen on small television screens at gas station pumps in southern Ontario. The ads are 15 seconds long and feature a grease spot nattering criticism about Dion's carbon tax program, a program that has yet to see the light of day.

The current Conservatives' heavy-handed, coarse, and loutish style are well-known to Canadians. The earlier attack ads on Dion were more than unconventional. Being that they focused on Dion's lack of facility with the English language, they were extremist and worse. When investigated by Elections Canada for illegal campaign spending, the Conservatives sue. When met with pointed attacks by the Liberal opposition, they sue the Liberal Party of Canada. When a Sikh Liberal Member of Parliament dares to oppose Conservative anti terrorism legislation the Prime Minister responds by suggesting the member is trying to protect the member's blood relative from being called as a witness in the Air India Inquiry. They refuse to attend AIDS' conferences. They accuse Liberals of being anti-Israel. yada, yada, yada.

But this time the Conservatives' oafish zeal to hunt, maim, destroy and bury their political opponents has backfired. The Fuelcast Network, the company that was to run these new ads has refused to do so. No doubt the uncouth quality of the stuff was just too much for them. Conservative spokesman Ryan Sparrow is screaming blue murder that Fuelcast is in violation of a contract. No matter. So far his whining is falling on deaf ears. Fuelcast, after all, has standards.

However, when it comes to tastelessness the Harper Conservatives are not easily deterred. The whole advertising program, which is worth several hundred grand, includes radio ads and yellow Dion T-shirts.

No class.