Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau has launched his much-anticipated summer barbecue tour with — you guessed it — another YouTube video with the distinct feel of an infomercial.
"It’s good to get out of this place," Trudeau says, pointing at the Parliament buildings while leaning casually on a railing. "Sometimes the negativity can be just too much. It shouldn’t be this way. It doesn’t have to be this way. This place belongs to you, to Canadians. It doesn’t belong to the Conservative party. And it should be about you and about what you need and about what your country needs."
Trudeau says that in his two months as Grit leader he has taken the concerns of the middle class to Prime Minister Stephen Harper — from the job woes of young Canadians to concerns over controversial government ad spending.
"Canadians shouldn’t be paying the bill for partisan government ads aired during hockey games about programs that don’t even exist yet," he says.
Trudeau also mentions his efforts to make Parliament more open and accountable.
Perhaps most telling, Trudeau hints at the Tory attacks that have come fast and furious since he took over as Liberal leader in April.
"This should be the place where we solve our problems together, so I’ll let Mr. Harper and Conservatives focus on me,” he says. “I’m focused on you."
He ends by saying he’s excited to meet Canadians this summer, "around the barbecue, across the country."
A flash of the million dollar smile... and we're out! Get the man a burger!
This isn’t the first time Trudeau has taken this approach, though these types of clips have been met with mixed reviews in the past.
In early May, Trudeau was teased after Liberals released a 39-second clip of the rookie leader, wearing a green v-neck T-shirt and cargo shorts, thanking supporters for hitting a million-dollar fundraising milestone. His casual look and the overall quality of the video were criticized by more than a few pundits on Twitter.
Later that month, Trudeau released another clip calling for Canadians to submit questions on middle class concerns he could ask directly of Harper in the House of Commons.
At least two questions — one from “Dustin” in Alberta, “Monique” from Quebec — were asked in question period during the spring session.
But Conservative House Leader Peter Van Loan actually tried to put a stop to the practice about two weeks ago.
So, what do you think of these clips? Are they cheesy? Are they effective? Tell us in the comments.
Also on HuffPost
