Fortier's Faux Pas (the latest one, anyway)

According to my sources, Michael Fortier's campaign to actually get elected is going badly. In a convo with the unelected Minister of Pork's campaign manager some weeks ago, it was clear that, despite a lot of brave talk, CPC membership numbers in the riding of Vaudreuil-Soulanges are in the sous-sol. This is the riding where the minister 'responsible' for Montreal has been the declared candidate for 13 months. Of the much-publicised dual 'constituency offices', the one in Coteau du Lac is but a mere unoccupied shack, with the office in Vaudreuil only slightly better.

What is wrong with the Fortier campaign? Other than the question of why an unelected Senator/ Minister from Outremont needs a constituency office or two to begin with, that is.

Seriously. This campaign is a head-scratcher.

It's a chicken and egg thing. Is it the lack of traction of the Fortier for V-S campaign due to amateurishness to the nth degree - coupled with appalling arrogance - that is driving voters away in droves? Or is the amateurishness indicative of the desperation spawned by the lack of traction?

Case in point: Village Theatre West - Wednesday night, Hudson, Quebec.

The Harper Gang - as we've discovered over the past 23 months - is not much for culture and Canadian Heritage. I do, however, always think that any government programme yielding even meagre funds for minority cultural endeavours is something worth celebrating.

Though the minister responsible for Candian Heritage, Josée Verner, should have been present at Wednesday night's event, the 'Government of Canada' deemed it best to let M. Fortier take credit. He needs the boost, after all.

The amateurishness (or lack of humility and political acumen) was on full display as Fortier decided to make a government funding announcement into a partisan political issue. There have been numerous complaints from Wednesday night's attendees that Fortier's 'campaign team' decided this was an ideal opportunity to push Conservative membership cards on a captive audience. For obvious reasons, many people found this to be cynical and offensive. From an organisational perspective, this inappropriate membership drive smacks of the desperation surrounding Fortier's candidacy.

When will the Minister stop insulting the intelligence of voters in Vaudreuil-Soulanges?