Stanfield-'The Alternative'-May Have Muffed Things

The GAZETTE, Montreol, Sot., Oct. 21, 1972 7 Polls indicate scant Tory progress Stanfield-'The Alternative'-may have muffed things By lt'S not so much his personality Peter Desbarats as poor campaign planning and lack of political sex appeal. There seems t() have been a serious OTTAWA - As the 1972 campaign One of the Liberals' most active conceptual flaw in Stanfield's cam- enters its final phase, the cumulative national campaigners, Finance min- paign which has been reflected and evidence of numerous public opinion ister John Turner, exploits this in a ·aggravated by the failure to provide polls indicates t h at Conservative statement that he uses at the end of him with the intellectual "back-up" Leader Robert Stanfield's intensive every speech, and that invariably required by any major party leader in and expensive campaign has failed to draws amixture of laughter and this day and age. produce significant results for tl1is applause from his audiences. As a result, the Stanfield campaign party. "Don't compare the Prime Min- has been a curious combination of Now time is growing short. ister to the Almighty," he says, "just modern technique and old-fashioned There is still a real possibility that compare him to theAlternative." content. the Liberals will fail to maintain But the "personality" explanation A typical campaign appearance by their 'majority at the end. of this for Stanfield's failure to bring his Stanfield goes something like this: month, but the prospect of minority party ahead in the campaign isn't the First of all, there is about 20 government now is no closer, to say whole ans.wer. Last year, when the minutes of lively music from the six ' the last, than it was at the beginning polls were more favorable to the members of "Jalopy" who travel (Gazette) Steve Jensen) of the campaign. It is a good deal Conservatives, C a n a d i a n s had across the country withthe leader. ON CAMPAIGN TRAIL: Stanfield during recent Montreal visit. more remote than it was a year ago. watched Stanfield closely for more Then Stanfield is introduced and than three years, and were fully Without anticipating the outcome of speaks for five to 10 minutes, usually leader who is popularly supposed to and almost no attempt to relate them by Stanfield himself in consultation the election, there is sufficient evi- aware of his political style. from a few notes. The basic elements be long on thought and short on to the leader's campaign. with Sloan. dence at this stage to justify a start on Those who then favored the Con- of this speech are national pride, charisma, it has been an unexepected The structure of Stanfield's speech- As far as an outside observer can the post-mortem of the Stanfield . servatives have seen nothing in the government mismanagement exempli- and even astonishing performance. producing system reflects this almost tell at this stage, this process has campaign. past year which would alter their fied by unemployment and the cost of casual approach to the content of his failed to produce a clear intellectual assessment of Stanfield except in a living, the income tax cut promised Ineffective campaign. It was described as "in- concept of the Conservative cam- Little gain positive way. Almost a solid year of by the Conservatives and a pledge to formal" by one member of the paign. It has been, in many senses of "put Canadians back to work." 'I'he polls indicate that it hasn't About a year ago, public opinion campaigning has, in fact, sharpened Stanfield entourage. the word, a "reactionary" process, his public personality, and made him After the short speech, "Jalopy" been particularly effective. The few major speeches that have responding to events and failing to polls show that the Liberal govern- strikes up again, and against the At least up to this point, the ment was well below the level of a more effective campaigner today been delivered have been pieced provide the leader with an opportuility thah at any earlier time in his career. background of this cheerful music, the Stanfield campaign appears to have together by a small number of writers to state his position in detail on many public support needed for a majority. Conservative leader moves slowly deliberately ignored the extensive and policy advisers in Ottawa and Why has the Conservative leader, in a subjects of national concern. Campaign flaw through the crowd and on to the next development of policy which has Toronto and then transmitted to The average voter, of course, has campaign that is obviously crucial for stop where the performance is re- taken place within the party in recent Stanfield through Tom Sloan, a his own future, been unable to develop neither the time nor the inclination The explanation of Stanfield's prob- peated with little variation. years. Policy statements have been former journalist who has been at formulate this critique of Stanfield's this potentially strong position under lem in this campaign is deeper, more There have been few set speeches issued by party headquarters here t11e pressure of an election campaign? Stanfield's side throughout the cam- campaign, but the polls indicate that complex, and more serious for his during the campaign - perhaps only during the campaign, in pamphlet paign. The frequent short speeches he might be feacting to an intuitive The usual answer to this question party, than the old "personality" half a dozen in the first month - and form, but there has been little delivered from brief notes on a single perception of aimlessness and lack of has to do with Stanfield's personality, business. minimal discussion of policy. For a attempt to draw attention to them sheet of paper are usually worked out coherence. ' .

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