Liberal ads mock Bloc's international hockey aspirations

Liberal ads mock separatists, Bloc priorities

Updated Sat. Dec. 10 2005 6:00 PM ET

CTV.ca News Staff

The Liberal party's new Quebec ad campaign pokes fun at separatists and uses humour to portray the Bloc Quebecois as a one-issue party -- in the hopes it will remind Canadians a vote for the Bloc could mean a vote for Quebec separation.

The ads, so far only in French, start running this week and attempt to speak directly to Quebecers. They take aim at the Bloc, ahead of the Liberals by 30 points in the province, for limiting election discussion to the desire for another sovereignty referendum in Quebec.

The ads are set in a miniature hockey rink, the actors dressed in hockey jerseys denoting their political affiliations. The setting is an apparent dig at Bloc Leader Gilles Duceppe, who early in the election campaign proposed that Quebec have its own national hockey team play in international tournaments.

In one commercial, members from each side list their political priorities.

"Stability, prosperity," says the Liberal side.

"Referendum," responds the Bloc.

"Quality of life," continues the Liberal actor.

"Referendum," responds the Bloc.

And so it goes in this ad and in the series, which banks on humour to transmit the message that this election could lead to Quebec's separation from Canada. Another ad shows separatists arguing with each other, unable to agree on whether to call themselves sovereigntists or "independentists."

Liberal Transport Minister Jean Lapierre told CTV Montreal the message isn't an exaggeration.

"Either… you vote for the Bloc Quebecois and get involved in the process of a future referendum or you vote Liberal and you want Canada to succeed," he said.

The strategy of playing up the sovereignty angle could be a mistake, said political analyst Donald Cuccioletta, who has seen the ads.

"If you go on the street and you talk to people, they know very well it's not a sovereignty issue, it's basically a government issue," he said Saturday.

The Liberals have also made some tamer ads, including one in which MPs tout their accomplishments. Cuccioletta likes the idea but doesn't think it will necessarily mean more success for the Liberals.

"I'll be honest with you, very clear -- in Quebec, Mr. Lapierre and Mr. Pettigrew don't fly anymore," he said.

The Bloc is also set to release its television campaign this week. Last week, the party released its radio campaign, which features a traditional Quebecois-style song attacking the Liberals' financial record and the sponsorship scandal.

Top Stories