The Globe and Mail, Canada
April 24 2004
Liberal Party workers worry about pink Paul
By JANE TABER
Prime Minister Paul Martin’s team, in an effort to showcase the new
leader, has put his picture on their campaign lawn signs, causing
concern among some party workers who say his face is too “pink” and
he looks like he’s had a “rough night.”
There is worry, too, that political opponents will take marker pens
to deface his image, drawing horns on his head or adding funny
glasses. Putting a candidate’s face on signs breaks a cardinal rule
of political sign design. This, according to the party’s own campaign
manual: “Don’t use a slogan ever. Don’t use a photograph of the
candidate.” A campaign worker, who attended last weekend’s event,
said participants were told that if they are concerned about the
pinkness they may opt to include black in the sign, which will
apparently mute the pink in the PM’s face.
Scrumming on
the campaign plane
In leasing their campaign plane, members of Mr. Martin’s team had
some specific requests. First, they wanted a plane with “integrated
air stairs.”
This is a plane with its own stairs. It does not have to dock against
an airport bridge or have stairs wheeled out from the tarmac. It
allows the Liberals to land anywhere in the country. The Liberals,
sources say, have leased a three-engine 727.
Team Martin’s other request was that the plane be configured to allow
a “scrum area” for the press. This will make the optics much better.
Gone will be the inside-the-airplane shots of the Prime Minister
crouching to avoid the overhead bins or leaning over seats.
The Conservatives, who have leased an A319 Airbus, are also
configuring a scrum area.
Elsie Wayne:
‘I am not a bitch.’
After the Prime Minister accused the opposition this week of baying
“like hounds in heat” during a particularly passionate exchange over
the awarding of government contracts, Conservative New Brunswick MP
Elsie Wayne took offence: “Mr. Speaker, during Question Period the
Prime Minister referred to some female members of this chamber as
baying like hounds in heat. I do not bay like a hound. A baying hound
is a bitch, and I am not a bitch.” Mrs. Wayne is not running in the
next election.
Lama-mania
The Dalai Lama was treated like a rock star when he came to
Parliament Hill Thursday. Here is a breathless e-mail sent around by
an MP’s staffer to all Hill staff: “I had an incredible opportunity
to meet the Dalai Lama outside of Room 160-S and I was just wondering
to all those who were there with a camera if anyone would have
happened to catch that experience on film? I was wearing a black
dress, black shoes and I had a big yellow flower in my hair. If
anyone would happen to have a picture with me in it, would I please
be able to get a copy? (I don’t mind paying for it.)”
Hot and not
Hot: Commons deputy Speaker Bob Kilger. The Liberal MP from Cornwall
replaced his speaker’s robes with a Maple Leafs jersey this week to
watch his son Chad score the first goal and then an assist in the
Leafs’ romp against the Ottawa Senators.
Not: Treasury Board President Reg Alcock. Once the great defender in
Question Period of Paul Martin and Liberal ethics, Mr. Alcock appears
to have been sidelined — coincidentally just after admitting he
mistakenly said the sponsorship scandal only cost $13-million.
Finance Minister Ralph Goodale and Public Works Minister Stephen Owen
are doing the talking. And opposition MPs are now making fun of Mr.
Alcock, referring to him as a “wookie,” which is the tall, hairy
creature from Star Wars.
Hot: Conservative Leader Stephen Harper. Prime Minister Martin can’t
stop talking about him and his so-called scary right-wing policies.
What is he worried about?
Hot: Scarborough Liberal MP Jim Karygiannis for his persistence in
lobbying on behalf of Armenian Canadians. This week MPs recognized as
genocide the mass killing of Armenians during the First World War.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
