They're pretty mild as attack ads go, but new Liberal French-language television ads are now airing in Quebec that tell viewers that Stephen Harper is hardly a great leader, because great leaders don't engage in personal attacks and don't use the politics of fear. The "truly, great leader" in this campaign, a voter in one ad says, is Stephane Dion.
No politician appears in these ads. Instead, the ads consist of a several everyday Quebecers shot mostly in close-up on a white background, saying a few lines about Stephen Harper.
One twenty-something man says Harper is following the policies of U.S. President George Bush.  Another says, "They made cuts in culture; they want to censor our films. Is that a strong a leader?"
Each ad ends with the tag, "Cette fois, je vote Liberal" or, "This time, I'm voting Liberal."
"The criticisms of Mr. Harper's leadership style featured in the new advertisements are the direct result of comments that Liberal candidates across Quebec have heard on doorsteps from average Quebecers," the Liberals said in a press release.  "While Stéphane Dion and the Liberal Party will continue to engage Canadians in a mature discussion of which Stephen Harper wants no part, preferring personal attack ads to debate. These new Liberal ads stand in sharp contrast with Conservative ads that focus on Stephen Harper as a family man instead of the political issues currently at stake."