According the Conservatives, Michael Ignatieff’s cross-country tour is a sign he wants to plunge the country into a divisive election, something Stephen Harper has consistently opposed ever since September 2008. So the Conservatives have responded the way they respond to, well, anything – by launching a new round of remixed Just Visiting attack ads.

So let’s take a look at the 6 English ads up on the Conservative Party website – tomorrow, I’ll break down the 4 French ads.

This video starts with shots of economic uncertainty and rioting in a third world country (or perhaps Toronto) to show it’s a dangerous world. We then see Stephen Harper, in glasses, seriously reading papers and hard at work. After all, being PM is a serious job and we need a serious leader – one who is “here for Canada”.

On the whole, the ad has a positive message, touting Stephen Harper’s record in office and giving voters a reason to vote for him. So, of course, it will never air on TV.

Now, let’s look at the trash that you will see on TV:

Coalition: Michael Ignatieff wants to form a coalition with the separatists and socialists? And Jack Layton too? Why hasn’t anyone warned me about this before?!?!? I feel like some of the money wasted on H1N1 awareness ads last year should have been spent to let Canadians know about this dastardly threat.

Taxes: Michael Ignatieff wants to raise taxes. But not the good kind of tax increase, like the hike in EI premiums Jim Flaherty is bringing in. Ignatieff is proposing bad tax increases, like a hike in the GST or a carbon tax. Except he’s not so much “proposing” them as kind of musing three years ago about not ruling them out.

Ignatieff Canada: Again, we find out that Michael Ignatieff likes Algonquin Park and has said some not-so-great things about Canada in the past. It’s really “Just Visiting” with a new tag – “he didn’t come back for you“. Which I think just underscores why it’s important for Ignatieff to offer a clear vision and explain why he wants to be Prime Minister.

Ignatieff America: Turns out Michael Ignatieff loves America. Unlike Stephen Harper.

Overall, it’s hard to say much about these ads that hasn’t been said before because, well, we’ve seen these ads before. As trashy as they are, there wasn’t a huge backlash to them the first time around, so I wouldn’t expect one now. They worked before, so I would expect them to work again.

Until Ignatieff defines himself better, Harper will gladly do it for him.