This undated file photo shows actors in the TV series "Star Trek," from left, Leonard Nimoy as Commander Spock, William Shatner as Captain Kirk, DeForest Kelley as Doctor McCoy and James Doohan as Commander Scott.Anonymous/The Associated Press
You gotta love the not-so-subliminal message from today's Nanos poll about Bob Rae's "exit honeymoon": Canadians like the Liberal leader and by extension his party – when they are on the way out.
So maybe the best Liberal renewal strategy, using the Nanos numbers as a guide, is just to announce you are packing it in. Leaving. Going some place else. We the people will just have to live off the memories.
The Liberals could use Star Trek as a model. Dedicated followers of that old program still gather frequently to celebrate a show that hasn't aired in nearly 40 years. The program's old stars show up from time to time and make the odd buck charming their ardent supporters. Michael Ignatieff kind of has a Dr. Spock-like appeal. He could make a fortune. Bob Rae as Captain Kirk? Many spin-offs in his future. Soon enough he'll get a gig hosting the Junos, like William Shatner did this year.
But what about Justin? Will Mr. Trudeau launch the dreaded (and never as good) sequel? He is "The Next Generation" but he doesn't require the space wear to be successful. He doesn't need to orbit the planet Liberal to launch a successful enterprise.
The Liberals are a determined lot and they won't be going anywhere soon, but they should remember even the Star Trek franchise ran its course. Lots of relaunches and rebrands but eventually it went to interstellar heaven. And yet it has been described as genius for its time and lives fondly in many a heart now that it is well past the final frontier.
Bob is being beamed up to a better place and Canadians like that. You have a winning formula here Liberals – do it right and your numbers will go intergalactic.
Conservative strategist Tim Powers is a vice-president at Summa Strategies