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Of campaign slogans and other Liberal close shaves |
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Written by Al Hollingsworth
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Saturday, 08 March 2008 |
When Liberal Leader Stephen McNeil sat down on Thursday night for a chat with CTV’s Steve Murphy, he looked relaxed and rather poised for someone who has only been on the job for 10 short months. Only once, near the end, did he seem a bit uncomfortable.
He didn’t squirm or stammer when Steve Murphy raised the issue of sex changes. Last weekend, as I addressed in my most recent rendering, the Young Liberals pushed through their silly motion whereby, if the Grits become the next government, we (the over -burdened taxpayers) will have to foot the bill for sex change operations.
To say McNeil didn’t give the plan a ringing endorsement would border on understatement. He did mutter something like, “It isn’t a priority.” We can only hope.
And Grits everywhere had better hope that a Hollis Street-based pillar of knowledge doesn’t come up with the campaign slogan, “Time For A Change.” If they did, the narrow exit at the Isthmus of Chignecto would be jammed with people fleeing in fear. Snip, snip, snip,…. hey, someone has to sing bass if we are to have perfect harmony!
I’d like to take credit for “time for a change” but the credit goes to my friend Russell MacKinnon. Russell, elected in the Liberal resurgence of 1988, outlasted all 22 of his mates sent to Province House that year. His amazing staying power and popularity in Cape Breton West was overlooked by a couple of his seatmates, as they greased the skids for his exit from the ranks of the Liberal Party. Had they parked their pettiness and acted in the best interests of the party, Russell might still be a valued member of their caucus and Alfie MacLeod a hiccup in history.
They can live with that. Russell is doing very well, thank you very much.
Speaking of moods and motions, one of my two apples of discord leading into the Grit Annual Meeting, changing “Come From Away” to “Come From Anywhere”, was defeated. For that let us give thanks.
Back to the interview. Steve - Murphy that is, did bring up the subject of Stephen’s - McNeil that is, new look, the Valentine’s day shaving of the beard.. This is beginning to read like an episode of Newhart starring, “My brother Larry and my other brother Larry.” Whatever, I’ve never understood why someone would cultivate on their face what grows wild on the rear. I stray.
Personally, I prefer the unshaven McNeil. While shaved or otherwise would have no bearing on how I would cast my vote, the “new” McNeil will probably be more appealing to the voters.. There’s a freshness there, a more youthful look. Not that he’s old…I’ve got food in the fridge older than him.
McNeil did bring forth a proposition that bears close examination by the governing Tories.
In the layman’s version, he is proposing that the government fund twenty students -medical students who, upon graduation would have to practice medicine in Nova Scotia communities where there services are needed for five years. Good stuff.
It is exactly where McNeil and the Grits should be going, developing thoughtful policy. The electorate may be dumb but they are not stupid. Keep bringing forth this type of initiative and who knows, like the Atlanta Braves of 1995, they may go from worst to first.
(Al Hollingsworth is a retired journalist )
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