OAKVILLE – Editorial – I witnessed an interesting debate on Twitter today as to whether or not this pamphlet constituted a political attack.
In the pamphlet, Chris Turner, Green Party candidate in the upcoming Calgary-Centre federal by-election, suggests Liberal candidate Harvey Locke “doesn’t understand Calgary now. He hasn’t lived here for well over a decade.”
Some say this is an attack, some say it isn’t.
The correct answer is, it definitely is an attack, but an incredibly lame and ineffective one.
Here’s what a more effective attack would look like:
Harvey Locke: Bad for Calgary!
Harvey Locke wants to be an MP for Calgary-Centre – but here’s the shocking secret he doesn’t want you to know.
He lives outside the city!
It’s appalling, but true! Locke is not from here. He is not one of us!
How can a man who doesn’t live amongst us, possibly understand our unique Calgary-Centre concerns, our Calgary-Centre issues and our Calgary-Centre problems?
Answer: He can’t!
Yet this outsider, with his strange non-Calgary-Centre ways, wants you to trust him with your precious vote.
It’s frightening!
Don’t be fooled. On Election Day, let Harvey Locke know you don’t want a stranger to represent you in the House of Commons.
Vote for your neighbour, vote for Chris Turner, a proud Calgary-Centarian.
He’s one of us.
Gerry Nicholls
Gerry Nicholls is a communications consultant and writer who has been called a “political warrior” a “brilliant strategist” and one of the “canniest political observers in Canada.” He has worked as a consultant in both the United States and Canada and was formerly a senior officer in the National Citizens Coalition. A regular columnist with the Ottawa Hill Times, his work has also appeared in the Globe and Mail, the National Post and in the Sun Media chain; and he has appeared on countless TV and radio public affairs programs. He is the author of the book, Loyal to the Core, Harper, Me and the NCC.
