Liberal gun registry advert is good but not good enough

The Liberal Party yesterday released a video that is meant to convince rural Canadians that they have the best position on the gun registry:



Despite the controversy around the stock photo of the police officer, this is perhaps the best advert I have seen from the Liberal Party in a long time. The message is a strong one that takes Mr. Harper on in his own ‘law and order’ turf. At the same time it tries to convince rural voters that they have the solution to the gun registry’s problems. Also the simplicity of the style adds strength to the message.

I doubt, however, that this would be enough to convince rural voters. The issue of the gun registry has become a symbol in many people’s minds; a rural versus urban clash of lifestyle. Note that this advert credits ‘rural MPs’ with coming up with the ‘solution.’ This appears to be an attempt to tie their trousers to the anchor and keep them from voting against the Liberal position. Rural Liberals fear this issue because they know that it is an electoral loser for them.

All that rural voters are going to be able to hear is that the Liberals support the gun registry.