OPINION: Secret weapon

Who can resist a new baby?

Babies are born with a magical ability to capture the hearts and minds of everyone who sees them, even across the country and sometimes right around the world.

But when it comes to producing high-impact Canadian offspring in a timely manner, the Trudeau men and their wives have a real flair for the dramatic.

I remember the innuendo when former Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau and Margaret managed to have their first two sons born on the same day, two years apart.

Justin and his brother Alexandre (Sacha) were both born on Christmas Day which, as all Christmas babies know, is a rip-off – you know, party and gift-wise.

At the time some were suggesting that it was done entirely for effect.

And really, having two sons with a Dec. 25 birth date did add a certain caché to the prime minister’s already dashing reputation.

Now, four decades later, Justin the elder is poised for a shot at the PM’s office and his status as a young, good looking family man is charming the votes right out of Canadians.

Not only that, he and Sophie are expecting their third child any day now (it may have happened by the time you read this) and the whole country is expecting with them.

One Canadian in particular must be very nervous – Stephen Harper has to be calculating how this new bundle of joy will affect his election strategy.

He is known for his mean-spirited and offensive approach using personal insults, character slurs and misinformation to destroy his opponents.

Pierre’s prodigy may have found a loophole – one sure way to combat Uncle Steve’s nasty, abrasive campaign style is with a cute, cuddly baby.

Mr. Trudeau has one of those at his disposal and evidently he is not afraid to use it.

He spent last weekend at the Liberal Policy Convention in Montreal but unfortunately Sophie is really, really expecting and wasn’t by his side.

But she did make an appearance from home as she patiently waited for the blessed event along with millions of other Canadian mothers, expecting or otherwise.

I’m not saying this was an orchestrated event but it did have a desirable effect – who can resist a new baby, even one that isn’t ready yet?
I’m sure Mr. Harper and the Conservatives have plenty of nasty tricks and offensive ads up their sleeves but they may have to be more politically correct this time around.

If he uses attack ads that make the new baby sad (for example, saying mean things about Daddy Justin) there could be a voter backlash against that mean Mr. Harper.

The nightmare scenario for the PM is to have his attack ads reviled by Canadians as harmful to the baby’s psyche or karma or possibly causing awkward situations at daycare.

Who is going to vote for a bad man like that?

Mr. Harper has a real quandary to contemplate – he might have to back off the abrasive tactics.

Also, it’s unlikely he’ll sire a baby of his own before the next election.

He needs an entirely new strategy to combat the niceness and likeability of Justin, Sophie and the kids.

This may be the biggest challenge of his political career- maybe he will throw in the towel.

By the time the next election rolls around the new baby will already be a toddler, almost two years old.

That’s plenty old enough to begin a political career alongside a very charismatic Mom and Dad.

Watch out Mr. Harper, you may have yet another Trudeau to face in 2015.

Attack ads are powerful but babies are irresistible.