The news of the day is of a leaked memo from Jason Kenney’s office asking Conservative riding associations for funds to help target ethnic voters in the next election.

There’s the predictable kerfuffle over Kenney using government resources for partisan activities, but in the long list of Conservative transgressions this one seems fairly minor. Compared to the millions in taxpayer dollars used for partisan advertising or the $800,000 laundered in the poorly named “in and out” scheme, using the wrong letterhead doesn’t seem like that big a deal.

Besides, for once the Tories have admitted they were in the wrong. And if you’re surprised Jason Kenney is targeting ethnic voters, then you’ll also be shocked, shocked that gambling is going on at Rick’s Cafe.

So let’s look at this document for what it is – a fascinating glimpse at the Conservative playbook.

According to the memo, the Tories already have $175,000 in the bank for this program, and are hoping to raise another $208,000. With this cash, they’re planning a heavy TV buy starting March 15th, with a major “launch” at an Indian cricket match on March 20th. The memo also includes data on voting trends, sample scripts, and advertising strategies.

It all makes for an interesting read, especially if you’re working for the incumbent in one of the ridings Kenney is targeting…

Breaking Through – Building the Conservative Brand in Cultural Communities