Only two short years ago, Provincial Conservatives were lining up to get their picture taken with a Conservative brother running for re-election for what turned out to be the last time.
This ad - paid for by the federal Conservatives - appeared in the Telegram in early December 2005.
The guy seated on the far right of the picture is Loyola Sullivan, the finance minister at the time. He quit federal politics not long after this picture only to take up a job with the federal Conservatives.
The guy behind him is former speaker Harvey Hodder. He retired before the 2007 provincial election.
Immediately to Loyola Hearn's right is Sheila Osborne, part of the Osborne-Ridgley political machine.
The guy standing right behind Loyola Hearn - with that great big grin on his face - is Bob Ridgley, brother of Sheila. You will recall him as the Conservative who supported Belinda Stronach for leader even though, by his own words, he thought she was "shallow as a saucer".
Bob is now Danny Williams' parliamentary assistant.
The other two guys are - left to right - Shawn Skinner and Dave Denine. Skinner is the provincial human resources cabinet minister and Denine is looking after municipal affairs.
You'll recall Skinner was taken to the woodshed by Danny Williams for going off the ABC message track. He was made to apologize publicly for his transgression.
Denine's had a few problems of his own, but never for doing something that went against orders from the top.
Interesting picture that, if only because it makes you wonder when they line up behind a candidate if they really do it out of personal choice or if they have been directed by some authority or other.
Makes you wonder that if they lend you support do they expect a quid pro quo, a back scratch in return.
Makes you wonder what happens if you don't do what they (or the authority doing the directing) wants.
Of course, it makes you wonder too if one of these is Loyola's mole.
-srbp-
