ALEXANDRIA, Ont. - Liberal Leader Stephane Dion is taking dead aim at Stephen Harper today after his party unleashed their first attack ad of the election campaign.

Dion says voters have a choice between Conservative gimmicks and a Liberal vision for the country.

He says Harper has no plan and is trying to buy votes with false solutions.

Dion was echoing the party's attack ad, which targets Harper's handling of the deadly listeriosis outbreak that has claimed 18 lives.

The ad says Harper stooped to 'a new low' this week when he refused to fire Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz for making insensitive jokes about the medical crisis.

It follows repeated promises by Dion that he wouldn't indulge in personal attacks.