Grit mudslinger is shooting blanks

By Mark Bonokoski <[email protected]>, Sun Media <[email protected]>

OTTAWA -- The return of Warren Kinsella, author of the yet-to-be-released Shoeless Joe Clark, plus other political character assassinations, has assured Canadians the next federal election campaign will be fought in the mud.

His record speaks for itself.

One of the more notorious political hit men in the electoral engagement, Kinsella -- not to be confused with W.P. Kinsella -- is so deep in Liberal partisanship when it comes to Jean Chretien that it's quite likely only the prime minister's proctologist can find him at a moment's notice.

But he is never far from a typewriter.

The Canadian Alliance, well wary of Kinsella's brand of mudslinging, issued a rather unusual press release Tuesday, indicating it has established a rapid-response team to retaliate against what it called "drive-by smears" by opponents of its new leader, Stockwell Day.

Judging by the fact the Alliance's announcement carried a spider-like caricature of Kinsella under the caption, "Spinning Warren's Web," there is little question who it believes will be the worst purveyor of dirty tricks once Chretien drops the writ.

Kinsella -- a Toronto lawyer, defeated Liberal candidate, and Liberal speechwriter and strategist -- is not the sort of political highwayman who hides in the weeds and takes anonymous pot shots at those who dare offend Liberal sensibilities.

Nor does he shoot them in the back.

There is little doubt, for example, that Edmonton Sun columnist Neil Waugh, for one, would not have an easy time joining Kinsella for a friendly cocktail, even if he had the thickest of skins.

Back in May, 1999, after Waugh wrote a column in which a few positive things were said about the Progressive Conservatives, Kinsella responded with a letter to the editor which minced few words.

"Neil Waugh," he wrote, "is easily the most shameless Tory brown-nose ever to walk upright. This guy is so partisan that his column should merit a political tax deduction for those who read them.

"I don't, usually, because the guy is so full of crap."

This, of course, is hilarious considering where Kinsella's own head is. (See previous reference to proctologist.)

Knowing full-well that a good offence is a good defence, the Alliance's press release regarding Kinsella was indeed well-timed. The man was already at work, spinning tales easily refuted but, nonetheless, tales which tend to stick to the walls if told enough times.

The Alliance, quick off the mark, cited an article Kinsella wrote for the National Post in which he pointed out that Stockwell Day feared criticism from a statement he made that "homosexuality was a mental disorder."

To which the Alliance responded: "Stockwell Day has no fear of criticism for this statement because he never said it. Kinsella was, in fact, citing commentary by a reporter as direct statement from Day."

Kinsella also claimed, as a guest on CBC Newsworld, that Day once wanted John Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men banned from schools. Wrong, replied the Alliance. While Day said he thought some of the language in the famous novel might not be appropriate for children, it was another Alberta Tory MLA, Victor Doerkson, who wanted it banned.

And third, in that same interview, Kinsella said Day "opposes minority communities" -- a position which the Alliance said is impossible to swallow, not only since one of Day's daughters-in-law and three grandkids are of Filipino descent, but because his leadership candidacy was "supported by members of the Indo-Canadian, Chinese, Caribbean, Hassidic Jewish and other minority communities."

This would seem to make Kinsella 0-for-3.

One suspects there will be a letter to the editor from Kinsella regarding this particular column.

Anything less would be out of character.

A year ago, after my return to column-writing after serving some time in newspaper management, Kinsella wrote a letter to the editor praising a rather tongue-in-cheek piece I wrote about the long hours and strain of duty which led to the earlier-than-expected exit of Governor General Romeo LeBlanc.

"I like Bonokoski's stuff," wrote Kinsella. "Good to see him writing again."

I expect that praise no longer stands.

Related files on this Website:

Index to Kinsella