Prime Minister Stephen Harper yesterday wanted to highlight the efforts his government has taken to stimulate the economy.

But in the process, he decided to hold a photo op rather than face pesky questions from the nosey media.

To be effective, however, such photo ops need to be something most people can relate to and understand instantly.

The Home Renovation Tax Credit fits the bill nicely. Anyone doing renos this year can get a tax rebate on up to $10,000 of work and supplies.

Easy to understand, applicable to many people. So, the next question is: where to stage such an event?

Canadian Tire?

Nope — too much Liberal red. People might think this was a Liberal idea and that would defeat the purpose.

So, how about Home Depot?

Orange logo, orange aprons on staff. Even the shelves in some stores are the shade favoured by the NDP! So that's out, too.

(Also, Finance Minister Jim Flaherty did appoint the president of Home Depot Canada to a special economic advisory panel. So advertising for the company could be perceived as favourtism.)

Let's try Rona. Perfect!

Blue logo (check); blue smock on store clerk (check); blue shirt on "average Canadian" (father, Greg, a real estate agent, mother, Kristi, a teacher, and son, Jamieson, 14 weeks) with whom the prime minister just happens to be shopping (check).

The prime mnister said very little during the little less than 10 minuts it took to shoot the photo op. But sometimes the right image can be worth thousands of words.

— James Fitz-Morris