SHAWVILLE, QUEBEC | My wife and I were stunned by our first view of Prime Minister Stephen Harper's attack ads on Canadian TV directed against Liberal Michael Ignatieff. The ad was sarcastic, personal, and nasty. There was nothing of policy, of issues, or of priorities.

"This is the work of a bully," commented my spouse, and she captured in that word, "bully", the real message of the ad.

Last week the Ottawa Citizen's editorial writer Susan Riley characterized Canada's current political scene as dominated by "destructive, bitter, trivial hysterics". She was speculating on the unwelcome prospect of a summer federal election made palatable, I suppose, by the possibility of getting Mr. Harper out of his powerful position.

The next day Ms. Riley's newspaper reported on a racist charge made by Mr. Harper's parliamentary secretary against Mr. Ignatieff. That, I suppose, is one example of the depths to which parliament has sunk under this prime minister's close-fisted directives and acidic tone.

Maybe an unwelcome summer election should be welcomed, if it means we will have the opportunity to reject this worst import from American neo-Conservatism, where all that matters is winning.

In an election, Mr. Harper will have to show us he has actually accomplished something positive to cause us to overlook these nasty tactics -- and to convince us that we can suffer a few more years of his un-Canadian, win-at-all-costs politics. I'm not at all sure he can.

This is a local question, not only because we will be voting on these issues like everyone else, but because there are members of Mr. Harper's inner circle who live within The Post's readership area. This is one of the benefits of living across from the nation's capital, but it should make us wonder if these Harper advisors and confidantes pay attention to the views and principles of their neighbours.

It is unlikely many West Quebecers support this prime ministerial pettiness. We should pass on to any of these neighbours the message of our disappointment with this descent into small-mindedness.

Winning is not the only standard, as Brian Mulroney has been demonstrating so convincingly since his impressive electoral victories are now completely overshadowed by his questionable business judgment.

What good is a victory if the very battle destroys the prize?

Judging from the arrogance shown by these attack ads, we wonder if Mr. Harper should not consider the legacy they will leave him to deal with. He may become known as a prime minister who held on to power with every trick in the book, plus a lot of dirty tricks no one else would ever consider using, but is that the place in history he is aiming to call his own?

These attack ads could easily be the Conservatives/Reform Party's coffin. Mr. Harper misjudged the Quebec electorate in the last election with his nastiness towards culture and artists. It cost his party a majority.

Why is he repeating this error of judgment? And how much more of this behaviour are we willing to stomach from someone claiming to be our leader

---

Copyright © 2009 Fred Ryan/Log Cabin Chronicles/06.09