March 7, 2007 - The post directly below has attracted a surprising amount of attention, and much of it (conveyed through emails and phone calls) has been characterized by enthusiastic agreement. That being said, I have been challenged to offer up some alternative strategic suggestions.

So, here goes the TDH list of the top five tactics I would employ if in charge of the Liberal campaign team:

• Forget the tired approach of a big launch for a platform - Part of the reason why people who aren't close political observers have so much trouble differentiating between party policies is because of the barrage of information contained in such releases.

Start bringing out policies that have a uniqueness to them - a national program to promote green technologies and products globally, for example - on a weekly basis. This is how you start to impact the national agenda.

• Show humility and moderation when politicking - The Canadian public does not define issues into such stark political solitudes as those within the business tend to do; Liberals are not always right, nor are Conservatives always wrong.

Political pragmatism will always trump blind partisanship when it comes to getting people to take notice and listen to ideas. For example, rather than talking about the Conservative position on anti-terrorism measures in terms of being an attack on individual rights and freedoms, why not offer a more balanced approach that takes both sides of the issue into consideration? Instead of stubbornly sticking to Kyoto's 2012 targets, why not acknowledge where we truly are at, and introduce new targets around 2020 (a position that BC, California and even Europe are starting to head towards)?

• Provide a grand vision for people to latch onto - If Stephen Harper has gained strength on the back of "low expectations" as described by Susan Riley this morning, then Stéphane Dion should be trying to inspire hope amongst a cynical and largely disinterested electorate.

I harken back to the following quote from the Toronto Star's Jim Travers:

"Even if Canadians are ready to relegate the party's ethical failings to history, Liberals need to regain public confidence with options that stretch the imagination and lift the policy bar. They need to demonstrate how a national government can lead without bullying, spend without wasting and apply this country's gentle strengths to a troubled world.

Ideas need time to form and to be polished. Then they need to be tested in an election that is about something."

The Liberal campaign strategy must not only make a concerted effort to point out where Stephen Harper has broken his campaign promises (without continuous reminders, the average voter will not mark their ballot with them in mind), but must also give people a reason to once again embrace a party with a national vision inspired by the collective rather than the individual.

Providing tax cuts, paying off the provinces, and pulling back on spending all sound great on paper - until one fully understands the massive implications that such measures will have on the makeup of our nation.

• Broaden the face of the Liberal party - Unlike some who suggest that hiding people away from the media and the public is a way to help Stéphane Dion's current difficulties, I believe that it is time to really make the dream team a reality.

The entire design of a shadow cabinet is to attack by responding to the government's actions. A better approach would be to take people like Gerard Kennedy, Bob Rae, Michael Ignatieff and Martha Hall-Findlay and give them issues in which they can own. Hand Rae the file on international terrorism because of his extensive professional experience. Assign Ignatieff to talk about Canadian security and global cooperation based on his expertise. Have Kennedy become the point man for the interaction between the provinces and the federal government, and more specifically, have him explain what is riding on extending and enhancing these relationships rather than dismantling and destroying them. Get Findlay to talk about issues of equality, and how the Harper government's cuts have affected the balance within Canada.

The current tour that Dion is making is positive, but I would have simultaneous cross-country visits to groups other than Liberals to talk about SPECIFIC issue areas. This is how you give national profile to a broad base of individuals, which is a strength for the party no matter how one tries to frame it.

• Stop musing about Liberal policies being stolen - The Liberal government employed this kind of an approach for 13 years, and quite frankly, it was good for the country. Taking the best ideas from other parties is something that the government can promote and take credit for rather than hide away from public consumption.

Instead, start to become aggressive on the contradictions and hypocrisy involved in electoral politics. If the current positions have morphed from completely opposite viewpoints in order to achieve a majority government, then this is what you hammer away on. Consistency is what Harper is getting across, even though it isn't necessarily an indication of reality. So why would Liberals whine publicly when they can be just as vocal with Harper's reversals of positions, and in turn create doubt about the future direction of the government?

As always, I welcome responses and opinions by email.

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