Stephane Dion beats Paul Martin's record.

Stephane Dion beats a Paul Martin record from the last election. The amount of days before going negative in the campaign after promising not to do so.

The old record: In late November 2005 on the very first day of the election campaign Paul Martin promised that he would run on his record and shortly after claimed the same thing in what may have been Canada's first political sweater ad. Yet only 22 Days later the negative ads were revealed and 2 weeks later perhaps the most negative ad in Canadian political history was out in public.

Stephane Dion has always maintained that he would take the high road and not go negative in an election campaign and he reiterated this at the start of the 2008 campaign saying that the Liberals won't resort to "the negative, nasty approach of the Conservative party and their current leader."

The new record: Quick somebody call the Guinness people. Less than 12 days after the start of the 2008 campaign, Stephane Dion goes negative with the release of attack ads playing on the deaths of Canadians. Funny that the ad starts out with the words "It's a new low"




Way to go back on yet another promise Stephane! This record looks good on you but not as much as the next one that you are about to set.

Any guesses as to what record I am talking about?

Edit: more quotes, which I guess could now be considered lies by Dion as compiled by Platty.


- "I have heard that they are planning something about me -- they want to have that out in television ads as soon as possible but I will not do that. I want to take the high-road which is to compare two approaches for Canada in the 21st century," said Dion. (Winnipeg Free Press, December 15, 2006)

- "Not this negative ads, not my style" - Stephane Dion (Global National, January 30, 2007)

- Dion said the Liberals won't be running any negative ads. "We're already answering back," he said. "We're answering with policies that are good for the people." - Stephane Dion (CP, Calgary Sun, February 14, 2007)

- "I will never do that.'' - Stephane Dion (CP, February 19, 2007)

- "I will keep the high road, and I'm very convinced it's the best way to have majority support at the next election." - Stephane Dion (Globe and Mail, March 9, 2007)

- "I want to take the high road. I want to explain to Canadians what I want to do. Don't want to go in dirty politics. If he wants to play the bully, it will be his choice. I want to play the high road. I want to appeal to the intelligence of the Canadian people that I know is the best way to win the support of the Canadian people." - Stephane Dion (Mike Duffy Live, CTV Newsnet, March 8, 2007)

- "It's a very Bush style," he said with reference to U.S. President George W. Bush. "I will fight back, but not in negativity." - Stephane Dion (Montreal Gazette, March 31, 2007)

- "We're in Canada, I remind you. This kind of stuff is not good for the political system. We'll be positive. There are no plans to my knowledge for us to reply to this kind of garbage," said Liberal deputy leader Michael Ignatieff. "You don't fight garbage with garbage. What you do is go out with a positive message." (National Post, February 14, 2007)