Cool New Ads and an old Advertising Story

I saw this one on t.v. last night as I was eating a quick dinner.

also h/t m5slib

Grand'>http://www.liberal.ca/video_f.aspx?guid=35F5F885-3DEB-4E3B-B4AB-332CCA02AD6E">Grand Leader




In other news, a media release of the RCMP could play in the election as reported by LaPresse today. This sounds familiar doesn't it. The RCMP releasing information that casts a dark shadow on the Liberals during an election campaign which was called last week by Stephen Harper. During the last election, the RCMP announced a mid-campaign investigation into the dealings of then Finance Minister, the honorable Ralph Goodale. The polls shifted dramatically over the following week. The investigation was dropped after the election because the charges were unsubstantiated.

In addition to being the most shrilly denounced and most thoroughly investigated scandal in Canadian history, adscam could break a whole new record: the longest lasting --three election cycles. That would be really incredible.

Duceppe's reaction to the news was interesting. Reader's are reminded that Jean Brault, a main actor in the federal ad scandal, also had some dubious transactions with Lucien Bouchard's provincial PQ government. "The Parti Quebecois knowingly took nearly $100,000 in illicit contributions from ad agency." -The Gazette June 22, 2006.

What has taken the RCMP so long?

The RCMP, I suppose, believe that their image with the Canadian public is so solid that they can withstand the potential perception of scandal during an election campaign. What? Maher Arar? Retirement Fund Scandal and Cover-up? Tasers? Honest people do not criticize the RCMP.

The Conservatives handpicked new chief of the RCMP, William Elliot is also unforunate in the sense of the potential for perception of bias on this particular matter of releasing information during an election. Unlike previous chiefs, Elliot was not a policemen before his appointment to this position.

"That would be the worst possible choice for the RCMP right now," said retired Staff Sgt. Ron Lewis, one of the five RCMP officers who led the campaign to reopen the investigation into the pension plan scandal."And that kind of an appointment would also put an end to an arms-length relationship with government. If the government wants to fully control the RCMP, then putting a bureaucrat in there is one step closer to shortening the arms-length."

Umm.... What I am trying to say is this: the RCMP, for the sake of its own effectiveness in providing public order, needs to manage its image. Since the ability to do their job properly is in part based upon public trust, they should at all costs avoid even the slightest appearance of impropreity.

Has the image of public institutions been enhanced or debased during the reign of Stephen Harper?

Elections Canada
Nuclear Safety Watchdog
The Charter of Rights and Freedoms and the court challenges program
Have I missed a few?