The Conservative Party quietly uploaded a new campaign advertisement Sunday that acknowledges the prime minister has flaws as it tries to sell him as the only credible leader during a recession.

“Of course I worry about the economy,” a middle-aged woman — joined by an older woman who could be her mother — begins the ad.

It then shifts immediately to a bearded middle-aged man.

Though the prime minister and Defence Minister Jason Kenney went to great lengths to avoid using the r-word both before and after the release of Statistics Canada’s second quarter GDP numbers last week, the bearded actor seems to imply just that.

“We came out of the last recession faster and strong than other countries,” he says. “That was no accident. That was leadership.”

A young farmer in a plaid shirt follows. With his daughter on his knee, he exasperatedly highlights Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau’s plan to run deficits.

To emphasize his point, he uses the word deficit three times.

“The NDP?” another man, standing beside a woman who’s presumably his wife, asks. “They can’t manage money. And they don’t understand that business creates jobs.”

The part of ad that will likely capture most people’s attention, however, is the end.

Just as the Conservatives’ Justin Trudeau interview ad raised eyebrows by suggesting he may be ready to be prime minister at some point (“I’m not saying no forever”), this one will surprise by presenting the prime minister as someone who — whatever else you may think of him — can be counted on for his economic stewardship.

“Stephen Harper isn’t perfect, but when it comes to the economy — we can depend on him,” an elderly woman concludes.

Though the Conservative Party doesn’t comment on its ad buying strategy, a source told iPolitics that Canadians can expect to see this new ad on TV shortly.