This summer the federal conservatives are road testing their new leader, MP Pierre Poilievre. They have been trying to analyze why so many Canadians are doubtful that they want him as prime minister. You would think that the numbskulls might have checked that out before letting him become conservative leader.
The conservative brain trust decided to spend the summer road testing some ideas for him. They started remaking his image by taking away his glasses. They probably thought they made him look too bookish. And when you think about it, this is one guy who needs to read more. He tends to be very shallow. Luckily, he is not walking into too many walls as he commutes around the country.
But without his glasses, he just looks myopic.
He even went home to Alberta for the beginning of the Calgary Stampede. That gave him a chance to wear a black Stetson and dark glasses. If he was trying to develop his Darth Vader look, he failed. He just looked like a kid wearing daddy’s hat.
I thought the funniest clothing change was to take away Poilievre’s plain white shirt, his dull ties and his blue suit. He treated it as though it was a uniform. I referred to it as his ‘button-down’ look.
The hardest thing to change about Poilievre is his mouth. When he sticks to the key talking points for the conservatives, housing and, inflation, he can be effective. It is just that he sometimes reminds you of the World War II slogan, “Loose Lips Sink Ships.” The problem is that his knowledge of economics is minimal. And the problems facing the home building industry are complicated. Simple slogans don’t always work.
I get the impression that Poilievre and the premier of Alberta are getting most of their strategies from an Edmonton-based communications firm called MASH Strategies. These people seem to deal in negative campaigns. They claimed the dubious credit for defeating Ralph Goodale MP from Saskatchewan in the 2019 federal election. No doubt Ralph is enjoying his appointment in London, England as High Commissioner for Canada.
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Copyright 2023 © Peter Lowry
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