Andrew Mayeda
CanWest News Service
Today the Conservative party unveiled a new French attack ad at their "Campaign HQ" (aka the war room), located in Ottawa's east end (2713 Lancaster). MPs Maxime Bernier (not pictured) and John Baird, right, were present. The ad is critical of Liberal leader Stephane Dion.
CREDIT: MIKE CARROCCETTO, THE OTTAWA CITIZEN / CANWEST NEWS SERVICE
Today the Conservative party unveiled a new French attack ad at their "Campaign HQ" (aka the war room), located in Ottawa's east end (2713 Lancaster). MPs Maxime Bernier (not pictured) and John Baird, right, were present. The ad is critical of Liberal leader Stephane Dion.
OTTAWA — The federal Conservatives flexed some muscle for the opposition parties on Monday, unveiling their national campaign headquarters and rolling out fresh attack ads against Liberal Leader Stephane Dion.
Conservative cabinet ministers continued to insist they do not want an election, even though some polls show the Harper government approaching the 40-per-cent mark in support. But, just in case the opposition gets any ideas, the party gave the media a tour of its Ottawa-based campaign headquarters, which is already being dubbed the "Stephen Bunker" by some reporters.
The Liberals, meanwhile, are calling it a "17,000-square-foot fear factory."
Liberal MP David McGuinty accused the Conservatives of spending more time intimidating the opposition than governing.
"They fully intend to defeat themselves at the first opportune moment. It's clear they don't want to do the job."
The campaign headquarters, which is considerably larger than the base used by the Conservatives in the last election, includes a television studio, training facilities and a war room. In the main strategy room, workstations with flat-screen computers have been set up for everything from "candidate support" to "direct voter contact."
The walls are blanketed with posters of Harper.
If an election is called, the Conservatives could fire up a campaign almost instantaneously, say party officials.
Environment Minister John Baird said the party has taken the "big and costly step" of opening the headquarters because Dion has made it clear he wants an election.
Like Harper, Dion has insisted in recent weeks he does not want an election. But Baird said the Liberals' opposition to the federal budget demonstrates their rush to head to the polls.
"Clearly, Mr. Dion has an urge to campaign. We, on the other hand, have a genuine desire to govern," said Baird.
The Harper government has introduced a bill that would fix the term between elections at four years and set the next election date as October 2009. Baird said the government hopes not to have to rev up its headquarters until then.
But McGuinty noted the government has so far refused to accept a Liberal amendment that would fast-track the legislation.
The Conservatives also unveiled a new attack ad against Dion aimed at the Quebec market. It shows the face of the Liberal leader while ominous-sounding music plays in the background. A voiceover declares the Harper government's recent budget "fixed" the fiscal imbalance, a concept Dion once called a "myth."
The new Conservative offensive comes as the Liberals test their own ads, both positive and negative. Last week, the party screened a number of ads for focus groups in Montreal. The screenings suggest the Liberals will focus on the environment in their political messaging.
Ottawa Citizen
CanWest News Service
Today the Conservative party unveiled a new French attack ad at their "Campaign HQ" (aka the war room), located in Ottawa's east end (2713 Lancaster). MPs Maxime Bernier (not pictured) and John Baird, right, were present. The ad is critical of Liberal leader Stephane Dion.
CREDIT: MIKE CARROCCETTO, THE OTTAWA CITIZEN / CANWEST NEWS SERVICE
Today the Conservative party unveiled a new French attack ad at their "Campaign HQ" (aka the war room), located in Ottawa's east end (2713 Lancaster). MPs Maxime Bernier (not pictured) and John Baird, right, were present. The ad is critical of Liberal leader Stephane Dion.
OTTAWA — The federal Conservatives flexed some muscle for the opposition parties on Monday, unveiling their national campaign headquarters and rolling out fresh attack ads against Liberal Leader Stephane Dion.
Conservative cabinet ministers continued to insist they do not want an election, even though some polls show the Harper government approaching the 40-per-cent mark in support. But, just in case the opposition gets any ideas, the party gave the media a tour of its Ottawa-based campaign headquarters, which is already being dubbed the "Stephen Bunker" by some reporters.
The Liberals, meanwhile, are calling it a "17,000-square-foot fear factory."
Liberal MP David McGuinty accused the Conservatives of spending more time intimidating the opposition than governing.
"They fully intend to defeat themselves at the first opportune moment. It's clear they don't want to do the job."
The campaign headquarters, which is considerably larger than the base used by the Conservatives in the last election, includes a television studio, training facilities and a war room. In the main strategy room, workstations with flat-screen computers have been set up for everything from "candidate support" to "direct voter contact."
The walls are blanketed with posters of Harper.
If an election is called, the Conservatives could fire up a campaign almost instantaneously, say party officials.
Environment Minister John Baird said the party has taken the "big and costly step" of opening the headquarters because Dion has made it clear he wants an election.
Like Harper, Dion has insisted in recent weeks he does not want an election. But Baird said the Liberals' opposition to the federal budget demonstrates their rush to head to the polls.
"Clearly, Mr. Dion has an urge to campaign. We, on the other hand, have a genuine desire to govern," said Baird.
The Harper government has introduced a bill that would fix the term between elections at four years and set the next election date as October 2009. Baird said the government hopes not to have to rev up its headquarters until then.
But McGuinty noted the government has so far refused to accept a Liberal amendment that would fast-track the legislation.
The Conservatives also unveiled a new attack ad against Dion aimed at the Quebec market. It shows the face of the Liberal leader while ominous-sounding music plays in the background. A voiceover declares the Harper government's recent budget "fixed" the fiscal imbalance, a concept Dion once called a "myth."
The new Conservative offensive comes as the Liberals test their own ads, both positive and negative. Last week, the party screened a number of ads for focus groups in Montreal. The screenings suggest the Liberals will focus on the environment in their political messaging.
Ottawa Citizen
