PCP vs. CPC: Focus vs. Optics, or why free media breeds arrogance and parochialism more than even government.

So what should appear in my e-mail yesterday but a press release unveiling the Progressive Canadian Party's press release unveiling thier Quebec candidates, reproduced below:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 30, 2005
PC Party’s Quebec Candidates Include Former Minister Grafftey MONTRÉAL, QUÉBEC – Progressive Canadian (PC) Party leader Tracy Parsons has unveiled the first of her party’s Quebec candidates for the upcoming election, with former cabinet minister Heward Grafftey (Brome-Missisquoi) leading the way. Grafftey has been elected to Parliament seven times, and internal polling places him ahead of the Liberals and closing on the Bloc Québécois. “Heward’s candidacy might be the worst kept secret in Canadian politics,” Parsons said today. “He’s been out canvassing in this riding for the past year, and we’re looking to him to win his seat again.” The former Parliamentary Secretary and Science Minister was Canada’s first-ever anglophone to represent a predominantly-francophone riding, has represented Canada at the United Nations, and at one point was Quebec’s sole Progressive Conservative MP. Other PC Party candidates announced today were Marc St. Martin, a Montreal entrepreneur running in LaSalle-Émard and Cristoforo Vaiana, in Jeanne-Le-Ber. “We’re bringing new hope and a fresh beginning to federalist politics in Quebec,” says St. Martin, another former Progressive Conservative who has found his political home with the new PC Party. “Voters in Quebec are tired of Liberal arrogance and mismanagement and Harper is too socially conservative. So we offer them a real alternative to the Bloc.” The Progressive Canadian (PC) Party is a registered Federal Political Party comprised of progressive-conservative minded Canadians rebuilding from the roots of the former Progressive Conservative Party. For more information on the PC Party, its policies, structure or general information, go to www.progressivecanadian.org or call 866-812-6972.

Contact Information: Jim Love
President and National Campaign Chair416-698-0141 (Office416-708-5519 (Mobile)jim.love@pcparty.orgwww.pcparty.org
Thierry Philippe SigneQuebec Liaison514-655-5550 (Mobile)Thierry.signe@pcparty.orgwww.pcparty.org

Wow. Heward Grafftey, the grand old man of inclusive Anglo-Quebec conservatism, in second place in his riding. And Tracy going out of her way to introduce Heward. Also double PhD. Student St. Martin. A battle of Martins. Only 3 candidates though so I guess the PCs could put more effort into gushing about each of them.

However Stephen Harper seems to suffer from an inability to latch onto coattails when he sees them. So writes Greg Weston in today's Ottowa Sun syndicated column:

Harper's tour made an unusually long overnight stop here for an event billed as a "significant" policy announcement, and a showcase for eight "star" Quebec candidates.

Harper stepped up to the microphone, flanked by his party's stars, and promptly neglected to introduce any of them...

as the cameras rolled, Harper was asked to name his star candidates, the ones standing beside him and trying to put on a brave face. "The staff can give you that," he snapped. And this is only Day Two.

So is it just me, or does it seem likely that a PCP government would cultivate better quality talent from Quebec than a CPC government?

It's probably just me... right?