Conservative Staffer is Right. Stupidity is Prevailing in the Harper Campaign

A Conservative staffer posted on his Facebook page that he thought the strategy of only answering five questions was "stupidity". I probably should say ex-Conservative staffer who is on his way to Siberia as we speak.

Harper is not off to a good start as that became one of the focal points of his campaign. Michael Ignatieff is wisely using that "stupidity" to his advantage.

But things got worse yesterday in London, Ontario:

A spokesperson for Prime Minister Stephen Harper offered an apology Monday to a local teen who claims she was turfed from Harper’s London rally over her Facebook picture with Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff. Mounting criticisms of Conservative campaign restrictions flared up over incidents at the rally involving Awish Aslam and another Londoner, Ali Aref Hamadi.

Hamadi said he was asked to leave the rally at the Four Points Sheraton by an organizer because of an NDP bumper sticker on his vehicle. The separate ejections of Aslam and Hamadi are further black eyes for the Conservatives, already taking flak for restricting access to Harper. Dimitri Soudas, Harper’s chief spokesperson, said he was unable to confirm the story of Aslam and a friend but nonetheless apologized to them through The Free Press.

Maybe the Conservative Campaign should be called "I'm sorry, now shut up".

The city is also complaining of how they have been treated under the stimulus spending, that saw an enormous amount of money going to Gary Goodyear's riding, but little to places that needed it.

London is being short-changed by a regional federal grant program aimed at helping cities hit-hard by the recession, city political and business officials charge. The $1-billion Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev) has funneled more money to the Kitchener-Waterloo area, home to the minister in charge of the agency, Gary Goodyear, who represents Cambridge, even though other cities suffered more during the 2008-2009 downturn, say critics.

London has received the least amount of money of major cities in Southwestern Ontario, with KW getting $18.3 million, Windsor $16.7 million and London $13.4 million, so far. Even St. Thomas, only one-tenth the size of London, has received more — $13.4 million.

And he didn't fair much better in Guelph. The Conservative platform has little to offer young people, so if they get out the youth vote it could cost him.

There's a great comic book style piece that someone has created and is handing out all over his riding.

And an excellent video: