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“Justin Trudeau thinks Canadians can wait longer for a job than they can for a joint,” say Conservatives

You've got to laud the gusto of the Conservative Party strategists.

On Wednesday afternoon, to the frustration of media, Liberal leader Justin Trudeau wouldn't go into specifics about his party's economic platform during a caucus resort on Prince Edward Island.

"My responsibility is to put forward a comprehensive robust platform in 2015," Trudeau told reporters.

"And I'm not going to shortcut that process...just because people want to know right now and are impatient to know."

[ Related: Media to Justin Trudeau: ‘Where’s your policy?’ ]

By Wednesday evening, the Conservatives came out with a quick, succinct and somewhat witty retort.

Here's an email of 'talking points' sent to Tory supporters:

Justin Trudeau Thinks Canadians Can Wait Longer For a Job Than They Can For a Joint

- After wasting no time in announcing his policy to legalize marijuana, today Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau said Canadians will have to wait two more years to hear anything from him about creating jobs and economic growth.

- Speaking in Prince Edward Island today Justin Trudeau refused to put forward any ideas to create jobs even though he acknowledged “people want to know right now and they're impatient to know”. (Justin Trudeau, Canadian Press, August 28, 2013)

- Our Conservative Government understands that the number one priority for Canadians is jobs and economic growth – not legalizing marijuana. That is why we are focused on implementing our Economic Action Plan which has helped created nearly a million net new jobs since the depths of the global recession – the best job creation record in the G7.

- Justin Trudeau’s judgement was already in question after advocating for the legalization of marijuana and admitting to smoking marijuana as a Member of Parliament. His decision to put his ill advised marijuana policy two years ahead of any economic policy is just more proof that he lacks the judgement to be Prime Minister and is in over his head.

- Justin Trudeau needs to explain why he thinks Canadians can wait longer for a job than they can for a joint.

With this email blast, the Conservatives continue with their theme — which they started the night Trudeau won the Liberal leadership — about him being "in over his head."

On Thursday, afternoon, Prime Minister Stephen Harper continued with the Trudeau-attacks.

During a press conference in Toronto, a reporter asked Harper about whether he's ever tried marijuana.

"Do I seem like I've smoked marijuana?" Harper retorted.

"Look, I'll just say what I've said before. Obviously I think Mr. Trudeau's actions display poor judgement.

"I look at the contrast with...him promoting marijuana use for our children versus saying yesterday he will have no economic policy for several years. Our priority as a government is not encouraging the spread of drugs, is encouraging job creation in this country."

[ Related: Justin Trudeau’s pot smoking admission may have buoyed the Liberals in new poll ]

So far the attacks haven't paid off with regard to the opinion polls.

But sustained themed focus attacks eventually worked against former Liberal leaders Michael Ignatieff and Stéphane Dion — maybe it will work with Trudeau?

(Photo courtesy of the Canadian Press)

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