The Alberta card

CP has the full Buzz, including his playing of the Alberta card:

His comments on Alberta were even more provocative. “Mr. Harper doesn’t have a sense of Canada and its communities,” the union leader said. “His sense is about Alberta. The wealth of Alberta everybody recognizes is much greater than it is anywhere in Canada. Those principles that he is brought up with and believes in coming out of there don’t sit well with the rest of Canada.”

Don't sit well with the rest of Canada. This is, if possible, even worse than his endorsement of Belinda the Bloc. It's one thing to play separatist footsie for political ends -- a long and dishonourable tradition in this country -- but to make such a naked appeal to regional prejudice, in such an inflammatory setting, isn't "provocative." It's simply despicable. SPEAKING OF DESPICABLE: The Prime Minister Paul Martin added this gem:

“I have large differences with Stephen Harper but I have never doubted his patriotism,” Martin said at a news conference in London.

Insert lengthy list of statements to the contrary here.