He doesn’t have Pierre Trudeau’s charisma or even Ringo’s vocal range, but to give credit where credit is due – nicely played Mr. Prime Minister.
Even dyed in the wool conservatives will acknowledge that Canada’s Prime Minister Stephen Harper tends to appear a little wooden at times. So it was surprising, even shocking to many to see our country’s leader take center stage and sing and play piano in the middle of a gala performance at the National Arts Center in Ottawa. He was pretty good.
Was this a just another political contrivance dreamed up in a back room by the conservative puppet-masters? Perhaps, but even if it was you still have to give the PM full marks for taking the risk… and pulling it off. Very, very few people would have the courage to do this.
I imagine this video will make a difference. Aside from the broad media coverage it has already received this video will be shared and viewed by demographics that would never have otherwise watched a Stephen Harper video. It will cast him in a slightly different light – as something other than leaden and it will give some, maybe even a majority of people enough of a glimpse of humanity that they may change their feelings about him come election time.
Prime Minister Harper and all politicians would do well to engage the electorate not just through press conferences and shouting matches during question period but also through the use of social media where people are sharing stories, engaging their networks and slowly building new and important communities of influence.
Rock on Stephen!
So what do you got Iggy?