Well played Dion, well played

Stephane Dion has had a rocky start to his leadership. He has appeared to be a bit of a one-trick pony on the environment, without having a stellar record to lean back on. He's been tough on some issues, but not others. The party seems divided, as seen on the anti-terror measures, and his dual citizenship and grasp of the English language have led to a lot of criticism. Plus, not all Canadians love the Quebecois, so he's got some work to do.

But, this week, he launched a 17-stop tour, which looks like the start of an election campaign. He was in NS on Friday, and seems to be trying to get out there and get people to see him as a person, rather than a bumbling Frenchman. The Conservatives have been helping too, as the attack ads just made people more sympathetic to the owlish man, who's just starting to come into his own as a leader.

But, the piece de resistance? Dion has joined Facebook. The social networking site for university and high school students. As the other parties are struggling to find a way to attract and connect with youth voters, Dion's getting presents and wall messages from his 2029 friends. He posts news and photo albums and notes, and people love it. Other Liberal MPs are getting into the act too, like Mark Holland and Michael Ignatieff. And, he posts everything in English and French, appealing to his Quebecois fans as well as those Anglophones who still don't trust him.

It's a stroke of genius. In the last Liberal newsletter, he sent out a video message to all of his facebook friends. Initially, his page attracted only those students who were already politically active, but it's spreading, and fast. And, he's capitalizing on the old adage--"If you're right wing before middle age, you're a cynic, if you're left wing after that, you're an idealist." Even though the Liberals do tend to be pretty centrist, they are the viable option for those who are leftist but know that Canada won't be having an NDP or Green Prime Minister under the current electoral system.