Angry in the Great White North

From Warren Kinsella's blog entry for December 9:

Young Liberals posing as average Canadians in letter campaign
Letters to the editor, television ads get out Martin's message
Allan Woods, The Ottawa Citizen

Liberal party activists have launched a campaign to sway public opinion on child care, but it's operated largely by members of the Young Liberals, who are passing themselves off as average Canadians.

They attack Conservative leader Stephen Harper in letters to newspapers that denigrate his child-care plan while promoting Liberal leader Paul Martin as the only worthy choice to run the country. But don't identify themselves as affiliated with the Liberal party.

"This seems like yet another attempt to help those Canadians who, frankly, don't need the help, but whose vote Mr. Harper needs," reads one letter, published in Wednesday's Globe and Mail. The letter was written by Denise Brunsdon, who was, until recently, a former national director of the Young Liberals.

"To give $100 a month per child leaves families looking for quality, affordable child care out in the cold and slaps the faces of those who make real sacrifices to have a parent stay at home as a full-time caregiver," reads a second, in yesterday's Globe and Mail, which was written by Amelie Crosson, a former speechwriter for Prime Minister Jean Chretien and Deputy Prime Minister Anne McLellan.

In addition to the letter-writing campaign, Liberal television advertisements have also come under suspicion.

One of the three spots produced by the party identifies the people who appear in it as Liberals. But it does not divulge just how committed they are to the party's cause.

In fact, those who appear are closely linked to the upper echelons of Mr. Martin's government.

There is Neil Dhalla, brother of Ruby Dhalla, a star rookie MP in the Liberal caucus.

Joel Peterson, who is identified as a Liberal from Regina, is actually the executive director of Saskatchewan's Liberal party and a key organizer for Finance Minister Ralph Goodale.

What's wrong? Couldn't the Liberals find any average Canadians who be willing to be seen on camera agreeing with them?

"I'm not an average Canadian, but I play one on TV."

Put that together with what Warren let us know on December 8:

As is well-known in the Liberal Party of Canada, a recent campaign for Laurier Club donations went precisely nowhere (cf. the big Laurier Club event with the Prime Minister on November 10 at the Arcadian Court was supposed to see 1000 new members attend and raise $1 million - and it, um, did not ).

and we see a party having some serious issues when it comes to connecting with Canadians. Or even repecting Canadians on the most basic level.

The Liberals seem to think this is all about manipulating us. If the Laurier Club campaign went as badly as Warren suggests, then maybe Canadians are finally catching on.

I don't care what your politcs are. No one likes to be manipulated.