Liberal Leader Stéphane Dion stood on a dock overlooking St. John's harbour this morning in Newfoundland.

He was announcing his party's plan to help out the fishing industry — including a plan to help fishermen upgrade their boats and make them more efficient. It's part of the overall plan, he says, to save the environment and the economy.

But apparently it takes a good bit of fuel to get the message out.

Behind Dion, an idling fishing boat spewed diesel exhaust into the air.

It was running its engines to hold its position just behind the Liberal leader — which apparently was important because the boat was covered in campaign signs for a local Liberal candidate.

Perhaps Dion's retrofit program will allow such boats in the future to buy a rope to tie off to a pier — or perhaps an environmentally-friendly anchor.

— James Fitz-Morris