ST. JOHN'S, N.L. — A local car dealership has launched a spoof advertisement in response to the Nissan Bonavista television commercial that pokes fun at Newfoundland accents.

The radio ad takes shots at Ontario marketing companies and Premier Dalton McGuinty's "nondescript'' personality.

"Sure dem boys from up alon' thinks we sounds foolish,'' says a booming male character, played by Newfoundland stage actor Chuck Herriot.

"This is how marketing people from Ontario think people from Newfoundland speak,'' replies a soothing feminine voice.

"They think it's cute to make fun of the way we talk ... we think they're cute too _ in a Dalton McGuinty, kind of nondescript way.''

The 30-second spot, which has been running on local radio stations for two weeks, was done after Nissan's ad caused a stir in the province for its portrayal of a fast-talking car salesman lampooning a Newfoundland accent.

"It's just a bit of a touche,'' said Donna McCarthy, creative director of Dora Advertising, which was commissioned by City Honda to put together the commercial.

Using McGuinty as the archetypal Ontarian was "a natural fit,'' McCarthy said.

"He just represents a lot of that nondescript personality that is really hard for us to imitate ... simply because there is no real Ontario personality,'' McCarthy said.

The ad features several examples of stereotypical expressions rarely heard today, such as "I's the b'y that sails it,'' and parodies people from Ontario who would "sooner wave a fish in your face than help put a cod in your pot.''

Betty Fitzgerald, mayor of Bonavista, said some residents in the eastern town of 4,000 were offended by Nissan's commercial touting its new SUV of the same name.

But much of the negative reaction was generated because the company had selected a Cape Breton actor to portray the salesman, Fitzgerald said.

"There is people that were saying why didn't they get a Newfoundlander to do the ad because at least we understand them when they speak,'' Fitzgerald said.

"People in Bonavista certainly got their own way of speaking but we don't talk like the gentleman on the ad.''

McCarthy agrees that Nissan's commercial wouldn't have stoked an uproar in the province if a Newfoundland actor was chosen to play the part.

"There's so many talented folks out here that could've brought something to it that would've made it palatable,'' she said.

"We've been criticized and been the brunt of jokes for so long that if you're going to do it, do it right.''

Newfoundland's language and array of accents are so rich that a dictionary compiling the province's argot was first published in 1982. It remains in print today.