Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - November 27, 2000, Winnipeg, Manitoba The Federal election Winnipeg free november 2000 Al Booth the column marvellous mounties politicians Security details about the Only ones who Haven turned off voters the mud has been but at least no ones Campaign been sullied by a Cream pie in the Stockwell Day Hast had to Wear an unexpected milk moustache during a Aline Chretien has not had to resort to wielding inuit Art to defend her and Jean Chretien has Only had to shake the hands of not the Throat of protesters who got in his if you Are looking for a High Point in a Campaign Laid Low by Nasti it would have to be the men and women wearing ear talking into their sleeves and pack ing heat to protect our political hot Long on patience and Short on the ramp Security detail assigned to Shadow Chretien and those who want his Job has been the Only ones whose actions on the hustings Haven turned off the mounties stand like Leo Mol statues through speeches which had Long ago driven reporters to with elbows raised they have cleared paths for Day through angry demonstrations and even taken a Pillow for him during an inflight Pillow they have quietly escorted some Wannabe cop from the televised leaders debate who was found protecting a sector with his own ear their bomb sniffing dogs have cleared reporters Luggage before each and every prime ministerial they have dutifully stood guard in front of the leaders hotel rooms through the they have lived up to the forces motto to maintain the or in the Case of nip Leader Alexa the and not once have they had to rely on Pepper of the past few years have not always been Good ones for the mounties political Security they were embarrassed by an intruder who got As far As the v prime ministerial bedroom before they finally got their the run Ning joke in Ottawa at the time was that the next time an intruder Vio lated Security at 24 Sussex drive instead of phoning 911 the prime minister was going to open a win Dow and yell doughnuts there was the 1995 Flag Day Flap after Chretien Shawinigan hand shake with perpetual protester Bill the prime upset the protester got too chose to take him out on his just a few Short months the protective Box round Chretien didst Stop a pie from Landing in his on the other Chretien certainly has enjoyed a level of ser vice from the mounties that Many canadians would care a avid has instructed his Security detail to keep a Low profile while he strikes out on the links at the Royal Ottawa course he so As he strolls the the mounties not too and sometimes using the natural features of course for Chretien has confirmed the mounties Are so Good at keeping a Low profile the Only Way he knows they Are still around is when he hits a Ball into the several he has found the wayward object sitting neatly above the Pine Needles on a surely a stroke penal but while the political leaders were losing their Heads in this the mounties were keeping As a matter of they wont discuss Security arrangements other than to say that they respond to whatever the threat assessment but scanning the crowd for some nut bar with a Lee Harvey Oswald Complex int the Only risk posed to the mounties will Tell you that a More imminent and one which could just As easily kill a is something which would Embarrass a they keep the crowd Back in Hopes that no Leader trips or Stum Bles while on live let the Media get closer than but not so close that a Boom Mike Bonks a Leader in the about the Only thing the Moun ties missed on the hustings was allowing reporters to get close to the prime minister after being handed free pen knives at a Stop in and just maybe they could have injected some decorum into the Campaign if they had worn their re Serge Stetson and spit polished Riding thumbs up to the three National party leaders who visited Mani Toba in the last week of the in no particular nip Leader Alexa tory Leader Joe Clark and Alliance Leader Stockwell Day visited the Keystone province Over the last seven Days to Shore up their candidates sup and its a Good too Manitoba is the most competitive province in Canada and the Only one with representatives of All four National when All the votes Are count it will be interesting to see if any of the last minute sorties translated into thumbs Down to the Liberal party of Canada in and prime minister Jean Chretien in for changing the hotel reservations for the National Media who followed him to for tomorrow nights elec in june the prime minister was Good enough to Book the intrepid reporters into the stately Auberge a quaint hotel that Chretien used to own part Chretien even arranged for some of the reporters to play Golf on the monday before the polls As you might have the Auberge is now ground Zero for a controversy involving the prime and allegations he acted improperly to secure a government loan for one of his buddies who still owns the this time the liberals decided the Auberge was not fit for the National and booked them instead into a Chain Motel closer to the Hiss and boo to the for denying the National Media the Opportunity to Wax poetic from the scene of the alleged Chretien wore a the mounties stand like Leo Mol statues through speeches which had Long ago driven reporters to ;