Kicking Ass in Canadian Politics

David E. Smith is a professor of political Studies at the University of
Saskatchewan. He is the author of Building a Province: A History of
Saskatchewan in Documents, The Invisible Crown, and Republican Option in
Canada, Past and Present.

For the genteel, the title of this book will surely grate. It sounds
rude and suggests a treatment of its subject matter that is smart-alecky
and shallow. In fact, it is none of these things.

“Kicking ass” turns out to be no more than being aggressive in
politics. In its modern—read American—guise, it becomes a synonym
for negative politics. Kinsella discusses several “classic” examples
of negative advertisements, the best-known Canadian example being the
Tory ad in the 1993 campaign that drew attention (purposely or not) to
Mr. Chrétien’s facial paralysis and then asked, “Does this look
like a prime minister? Think twice.” Here, he says, was a blunder of
colossal proportions, made worse by the Tory decision to withdraw the ad
and thus admit a mistake. Stockwell Day’s leadership of what the
Liberals described on every possible occasion as the “Reform
Alliance” never overcame the vigorous rather than vicious pummeling it
received at the hands of the government.

Hard-sell advertising began in the 1950s with the development of
“spot ads” (i.e., ads that aired between sponsored TV programs and
promoted, among other brands, Certs, M & Ms, and Wonder Bread). Kinsella
traces in some detail the evolution of “spots” crafted, he says, in
the best dramatic tradition with characterization, plot, and conflict.
People remember what they see better than what they read, and their
opinion once formed is very hard to change. Here is the reason for the
importance attached to opposition research, and to quick response. Never
let the other guy get away with anything.

In addition to chronicling the history of the hard sell, much of which
is American and among the most informative parts of the book, Kinsella
maintains that contrary to what voters say, they are interested in and
influenced by “tough stuff.”

Politics is not Sunday school, nor is it in the same category as
selling soap. Kinsella is good at demolishing the charge that elections
are no more than sales campaigns. Kicking Ass is a healthy antidote to
the let’s-reason-together prissiness evident in so many civics
lectures and primers.