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conservative party scare campaign, australian liberal party style.

I was watching the Calgary Flames game against the Minnesota Wild the other night and got my first glimpse of the new Conservative Party scare campaign against Michael Ignatieff on television. While I understand why political parties would produce these kind of advertisement and why they work, I believe that in the long-run this kind of hard negativity only succeeds in pushing more Canadians away from participating in the democratic system.

Anyway, the Conservative Party advertisement immediately reminded me of a similar advertisement produced in Australia. Watch both of the videos below and let me know what you think.

9 replies on “conservative party scare campaign, australian liberal party style.”

The Liberal released their own attack ads today. I haven’t watched them yet. My thoughts on attack ads is that if they are criticizing policy or the government’s record, they are fair game. “Not A Leader”, and any similar campaigns that seek to attack an individual’s character? Not cool. But the Cons proved with Dion that it can work. It’s unfortunate, but I think we’re a long way from seeing the end of that sort of strategy.

In the broader, more partisan sense, it sure works great for us in the NDP when the other two national parties focus on attacking each other.

Get used to attack ads because they work. Anyway, the attack is in the eye of the beholder. Alberta’s Conservatives got the fits over labour’s “No Plan” ads in 2007, and even passed legislation to outlaw such examples of freedom of expression, but they think nothing of anti-Liberal ads. Personally, I like ’em best when they’re over the top: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jU7fhIO7DG0 and especially http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GabMEHfCjT0&feature=related

Personal attack ads like this do indeed discourage people from participating in the democratic process… but the Harper Cons won’t see that as a negative. Low voter turnouts tend to favour incumbents, and these ads will appeal to their base and increase their turnouts in order to prevent the Liberal-NDP-BQ coalition boogyman from emerging from under the bed. Policy attack ads, on the other hand, are less distasteful to many voters, although some of us would like to see more about what their principals would do instead.

The “No Plan” campaign alluded to above by D.J.C. would be an example of a policy attack ad (or in this case, an attack on a lack of policy). Personal attack ads would include the Kim Campbell-era “Chretien’s distorted face” ads (which didn’t work). This type of advertising is endemic in the US political system, and note that voter turnouts there are abysmal even in comparison to Canada.

G’Day Blokes and Shielas in Canuckistan. Glad we could help you out with our expertise. Coming from Sydney (as I do mates; fair dinkum on that one and don’t drop the minty in the showerie you bunch of the frozen bogan) and having just read the best written article ever in the smh.com online paper I took it on to myself to see where we could spread our world reknowned rudeness.
http://www.nationaltimes.com.au/opinion/society-and-culture/what-price-an-ethical-media-20110328-1ccwp.html
Well well well if it wasn’t for us and our Big Boot Johnny crowd coming to your rescue with our offerings it looks like you would have a Conservative Party that is not very Austrlaian Liberal.
OMG – I need a few bexxies and the good lie down.

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