Mark Blevis

Nearly two thousand Canadians submitted questions to Stephen Harper as part of Your Interview with Prime Minister Stephen Harper, an online initiative by the Prime Minister’s office to engage with citizens using social media (YouTube in this case).

The questions were recorded using hand held video cameras, cell phones and web cams in the living rooms, kitchens and home offices of our country. People wore t-shirts, sweaters and house coats. Some might not have been wearing pants. That’s the nature of social media. People can do it anywhere with any dress code.

While the format was loose and we got to see the PM reach for his glass of water between each answer (and he even looked relaxed a good part of the time) I believe Stephen Harper would have fit better in the living rooms, kitchens and home offices of our country if he was wearing jeans and a t-shirt for his video response. He missed an opportunity to be the ghost in the machine — the element that gives social media its charm.

This was an interesting digital step for the PMO; some say a novelty. I believe Canadians will be more impressed if it becomes the norm.