Gilles Duceppe took it pretty easy on Sunday. First, he brunched with some supporters north of Montreal at Mirabel (of mothballed international airport fame), then he took an elaborate tour of an apple, pear and plum orchard in Oka, the place where a proposed golf course expansion on aboriginal lands sparked the long native standoff in 1990.

Tim Duboyce

From a visual standpoint, the apple orchard was a great idea. Beautiful nature shots of the Bloc leader picking apples and meeting local folks out picking fruit on a lazy Sunday afternoon. He also toured a production facility that makes cider and homemade pies.

However, on this occasion, Duceppe may have been better advised to take a fashion tip or two from the other party leaders, particularly the sweater-vest theme of Stephen Harper.

Somehow, a black suit and striped tie just don't lend themselves to apple-picking on a weekend in the fall.

—Tim Duboyce