If you are trying to attract younger voters, it doesn't hurt to be seen hanging out with a famous rock star. Bono, lead singer of the band U2, came to Canada last week full of praise for the prime minister, Paul Martin, who is on the verge of calling a federal election.
Bono joked that while he could be bought, his price was high. Mr. Martin's government had wanted the singer to lend his star power to an announcement early last week in Montreal that Canada would contribute $72m (£40m) to an international programme to treat three million HIV/Aids sufferers in the developing world by next year.
But Bono, it has been reported, agreed to come only after Mr Martin said he would make a second Aids announcement, a doubling of the money Canada contributes annually to the Global Fund to fight Aids, Tuberculosis and Malaria. Canada will now pledge more than $50m to the fund.
While Bono praised Mr Martin as a politician who keeps his promises, he insisted he wasn't endorsing the prime minister or his Liberal party as it prepares for an election that could be called as early as this week.
"I'm not here to elect Paul Martin or the Liberal party," he said on a visit to the prime minister's office. But during his visit, which included several public appearances with the prime minister, he said Canada's leadership on the Aids issue was important.
"It is important that Canada continue to lead the world on this issue ... It means that other countries have to follow in its wake."
The $72m donation to the World Health Organisation's programme is seen by Aids activists as particularly important, because it makes it possible for an initiative that was have trouble scraping together funds to proceed. Its aim is to train 100,000 nurses, doctors and other community health workers to prepare to treat large numbers of people with anti-retroviral drugs.
But there appears to be a healthy dose of self-interest in the Canadian announcements, at least in their timing. Mr Martin and the Liberals appear to be hoping that Bono's star power will help them attract the attention of apathetic younger voters who are turned off by politics.
It is the second time Mr Martin has hoped the rock star's glamour and appeal would rub off on him. Last year, Bono agreed to speak at the convention where Mr Martin won the leadership of the party, replacing the former prime minister Jean Chretien.
But last week's Aids announcements also signal a shift in Mr Martin's foreign policy, away from the heavily trade-oriented approach pursued by Mr Chretien.
Mr. Chretien favoured talking planeloads of Canadian politicians and businessmen to China and other Asian destinations on "Team Canada" missions designed to increase trade.
Mr Martin, on the other hand, has signalled he will focus on assistance to developing countries and other so-called "niche" activities where a relatively minor player like Canada can have an impact and get noticed.
At his speech in Montreal, Mr Martin talked about more than HIV/Aids, although that is what attracted the attention of activists like Bono.
He proposed that Canada play more of a role in building democratic institutions in failed states like Afghanistan and Haiti. The prime minister also talked about his proposal for a G20 conference, which would bring together leaders of the world's richest countries with the leaders from South Africa, China, India and other important developing nations.
That proposal has drawn the interest of the US president, George Bush, and the Chinese premier, Wen Jiabao. But when it comes to drawing the interest of Canadian voters, especially those under 35, Mr Martin probably with have better luck with an endorsement of a superstar like Bono, who had this to say about the prime minister last week.
"Wow. A politician who doesn't break his promises. This is real leadership."