STEPS UP CAMPAIGN TO REPLACE CHRÉTIEN

September 19, 2002

Canada's National Citizens Coalition, a McLaughlin & Associates client, has embarked on a newspaper ad campaign (link viewable in Adobe Acrobat Reader) in today's National Post, castigating the Prime Minister for remarks he made last week during a CBC interview. Among the Prime Minister's remarks:

"You know, you cannot exercise your powers to the point of humiliation for others...I do think the Western world is getting too rich in relation to the poor world and necessarily, you know, we're looked upon as being arrogant, self-satisfied greedy and with no limits. And September 11 is an occasion for me to realize it even more."

Chrétien appeared to be shifting blame for the 9/11 attacks away from the terrorists who executed the attacks, and toward the United States and the Western world; many in Canada since then, including political and media figures, have expressed embarrassment over Chrétien's interview.

From the NCC release announcing the ad campaign:

NCC Ad Slams PM For Remarks On Terrorism

(Toronto September 19, 2002) The National Citizens Coalition is using a large newspaper ad to give Prime Minister Jean Chrétien a message: “Nothing Excuses Terrorism.”

The ad, which appears in today’s National Post, slams the Prime Minister for his remarks on the anniversary of 9/11 in which he blamed the terrorist attack on what he called the Western world’s greed and arrogance.

“We want the Prime Minister to know that he didn’t speak for all Canadians when he made those thoughtless and insensitive comments,” explains NCC Vice President Gerry Nicholls. “For Chrétien to even imply the terrorist attack was in any way justified or legitimate is an appalling insult to freedom-loving people everywhere.”

The NCC ad notes that Chrétien’s comments “embarrassed Canada, stunned our allies and insulted the victims of the 9/11 terror attacks.”

Nicholls says the ad also calls on Canadians to contact the Prime Minister to demand he do two things: apologize to Americans and resign now and not in 17 months.

“We don’t want Chretien to hang onto power for another year and half,” says Nicholls, “Who knows what he will say or do next?”

Nicholls says the NCC is also considering running similar ads in American papers.

The NCC emphasized this incident as part of its continuing campaign to persuade the Prime Minister to step down from his post as soon as possible. Chrétien announced last month that he would not be seeking a fourth term, but would stay on as Prime Minister until early 2004.

To supplement its campaign to hasten Chrétien's retirement, the NCC also has begun a billboard campaign urging Chrétien to leave office immediately without waiting for his term to run out. A graphic of the billboard, displayed in downtown Toronto, may be viewed here.

From the NCC release announcing the billboard campaign:

National Citizens Coalition Billboard Kicks Off Jean Chrétien Retirement Countdown

Where: Corner of Bay and Gerrard (Toronto)

The National Citizens Coalition has put up a billboard in downtown Toronto which will count off the months until Prime Minister Jean Chrétien steps down.

The billboard features a caricature of the Prime Minister holding a sign that reads “17 More Months” and the words, “Why the Delay? Say Goodbye Today!" The NCC will change the countdown number every month.

The billboard is part of an ad campaign the group is running that will aim to accelerate Chrétien’s retirement date.

“We want Chrétien to step down sooner and not later,” says NCC vice president Gerry Nicholls. “We think it’s wrong for him to hang onto power for another year and a half as an unaccountable lame duck leader.”

Late last year the NCC launched a similar billboard campaign rallying Canadian solidarity with the United States in the wake of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

Visit the National Citizens Coalition Web site

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