Dalton McGuinty Engages in Cheesy Faux Patriotism. Conservatives Ask: Why Didn't We Think Of That?

Factually, Toronto Sun Columnist Connie Woodcock has it right. Renaming a strip of the 401 "The Highway Of Heroes" is about as crass a political ploy as you can find:

And what about McGuinty's apparent willingness to go along with the idea? Let's not forget there's a provincial election coming up and this sort of meaningless gesture could be politically helpful, appealing as it does to cheap sentiment. And best of all, for a politician, unlike any of the other stuff the premier has promised lately, it's almost free, give or take a few road signs.

Of course, The Sun spent most of June ramming the yellow ribbon campaign down Torontonians' throats, so one can only assume that they're huffed they didn't get to this one first. And frankly, with John Tory sinking under the weight of his faith-based school initiative, who knows if something as simple and emotionally sloppy as this will buy Dalton his Liberal Majority?

Look, there is nothing wrong with wearing a yellow ribbon, but unless the proceeds from their sale are going to buy our troops body armor, you can support them just as effectively by dropping your pants and farting in the general direction of Afghanistan.

And I wish people would grasp the fact that wearing a yellow ribbon has very little to do with backing the troops, far more to do with raising their own spirits re. a war going sour halfway around the world. Renaming highways or wearing yellow ribbons to help the war effort is a lot like attempting to cure World Hunger through masturbation: it makes you feel good, but it doesn't help the hungry.