The much-anticipated NDP attempt to define Thomas Mulcair has arrived, en francais at least. In it, we’re treated to close ups of Mulcair’s forearms (so that the Tories won’t dare call him a “weak leader”), then Tom rolls up his sleeves…

…cut to Mulcair in a suit. Why was he rolling up his sleeves in the previous scene? Or is this a flashback? Will we find out in the next ad? I’m baffled. This is season 4 of Lost all over again.

Regardless, Mulcair gets off the key NDP lines: listening, working together, green economy, plan, vision. All good things.

So on the whole, it’s not a bad introduction. I wouldn’t say it defines Mulcair, but he looks serious and pleasant at the same time, which is the important thing. The ad is about warming voters up to a man with a gruff reputation and, on that score, it should do the trick.