Posted on 01/10/2006 5:40:00 PM PST by NorthOf45
Liberals release new series of attack ads
CTV
by CTV.ca News Staff
January 10, 2006
A barrage of new Liberal attack ads take direct aim at Conservative Leader Stephen Harper.
A dozen 30-second advertisements intended for television were posted on the Liberal web site Tuesday afternoon, with every ad clearly targeting the Tory leader's policies.
One of the ads however, suggesting Harper would put military personnel in Canadian cities, was later pulled, with the Liberal Party saying the ad had been circulated in error.
The commercials are some of the most negative yet, suggesting Harper is anti-Atlantic Canada, hides an agenda similar to former Ontario premier Mike Harris and that his rise to leadership was bankrolled by rich American right-wingers.
David Akin's blog and comments Conservatives quickly slammed the ads, calling them a desperate attempt to distract voters from the "Liberal record of scandal."
"As we predicted, the Liberals have stepped up their campaign of negative and personal attacks on our leader and our party," John Reynolds, the Conservative campaign co-chair said. "These latest ads are similar to the ads that we saw in the last campaign – guns pointed into people's faces and dishonest misrepresentations of our policies."
Indeed, voters may be reminded of the 2004 election, when a concerted effort to cast fear into the hearts of voters paid-off, reversing polls and pulling the Liberals into the lead at the last minute.
Media analyst Chris Winsor told CTV Newsnet the ads have the risk of backfiring on the Liberals, because they don't mesh with the new image Canadians have of Harper.
"The campaign Stephen Harper has run and the image he has presented to Canadians through the debates and continually since we've been at this is dramatic opposed to the Stephen Harper presented in these ads," Winsor said.
The new ads each feature unflattering close-ups of Harper's face, are accompanied by war-like drumming, and end with the newly-minted Liberal campaign slogan, "Choose Your Canada."
A female announcer challenges his credibility in a number of areas. Perhaps the most far-flung of the ads suggests conservative U.S. donors played a key role in Harper's career.
"Who paid for Stephen Harper's rise to the head of the party?" asks the voice. "We don't know. He refuses to reveal his donors. What do you suppose he's hiding? We do know he's very popular with right wingers in the U.S. They have money, maybe they helped him. We just don't know. He just won't say."
The ads also attack Harper's position on Atlantic Canada. One ad quotes Harper as saying "unfortunately many people in Atlantic Canada feel that it's only through government favours there will be economic progress."
Another closely compares Harper to former Ontario premier Mike Harris.
"Like Stephen Harper, Mike Harris had a right wing agenda. Remember the Common Sense Revolution? Remember the environmental neglect, the shattered social programs, the crumbling schools and hospitals, the huge deficits? Yeah, that Common Sense Revolution. Do we really want to go down that road again?"
The ads also:
- Attack Harper's comments to an American think-tank in Montreal when he called the U.S. a light and inspiration to Canadians and the world; - Claim Harper will either have to raise taxes or run a deficit to pay for his campaign promises; - Quote Harper on private health care in the provinces, saying "Why should I care? Why should the federal government how they're managed." - Claim Harper and Bloc Quebecois Leader Gilles Duceppe have a close relationship that will not benefit national unity; - Claim that Harper once said Liberal ridings in the west of Canada are either dominated by recent Asian immigrants or recent migrants from eastern Canada; - Report comments Harper made to an American audience, advising them not to feel bad for Canada's unemployed, who receive "generous social assistance and unemployment assistance," and that Canada is content to become a second-tier social country; - Quote a U.S. newspaper editorial that described Harper as the most pro-U.S. leader in the western world.
Disgusting
Ping
Canada Ping!
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Last time I was in Vancouver there were military personnel there. Who knew?
It's getting beyond rediculous.
He, (Harper) will send Canadians to Iraq.
We will all await results with bated breath. One heck of a scare tactic though. Maybe it is all now smoke and mirrors.
I wonder WHO the Liberals STOLE the money from to produce these UNHINGED ads????? THEY are the ones who won't release where their money comes from.
If people can't see how DYSFUNCTIONALLY DESPERATE these Liberals are, then they should be committed. Liberals everywhere are absolutely DISGUSTING!!
Whoa, watch your blood pressure C/O. That's a lot of capitals, them there! And we wouldn't want you come down with a heart attack and abandon us here on FR. After all it's a long way from KGH all the way down KLO...
:-)
Sheeeeesh, Mike Harris was one of the best premiers we ever had.
LOL - Nope my BP is low. I once had Dental surgery at Dr. Bell's where he put me out and when I woke up they said " My God, is your blood pressure always that low"? I said yup. So far. Actually I would only need to go down Pandosy St. where our office is to KGH should such a thing happen.
I think the only thing that could make me really have a BP rise is a Liberal win. But I'm counting on them continuing to self destruct. It seems there has been a sea change of opinion and it has thrown the Liberals into a tailspin. I thought Martin, last night, appeared unhinged a few times. CO
I hope he gets put out of his misery also. Besides, he would relieve us of the decade of misery he and his cohorts have foisted upon us for so long.
Ya see, they are shooting themselves in the foot with these ads. It just brings attention to the "best" Premier that Ontario ever had and he was a Conservative. Poor Paul, he's cross eyed with fear and can't shoot straight!!
I am the exact opposite. Two years ago they did a root canal and preemptively tested my blood pressure. It was 207. Six hours later it was still over 200. But nothing a good bottle of port can't rectify... :o)
I thought you guys lived in the Hall Rd subdivision, that's why I said down KLO.
Nope, we lived in West Kelowna Estates for 19 years. Ten years ago my husband opened a branch office in Peachland. Our main office has always been downtown. Ellis, St. Paul and now finally Pandosy. However that said, we lived in Peachland for a year but I work in Kelowna every day and although I absolutely love Peachland, driving home at night in the winter was awful. So we are in Westbank. That sort of splits it in the middle. David can go to Peachland on his Tuesday and Thurs. and I head for Kelowna every day. My sister and brother in law and basically all my family live in Westbank anyway. Except for my daughter and son in law who live in Kelowna. I'm trying to figure out who you are.
btw - that's not too good for a BP reading. You must take care of that.
Pure propaganda of the Canadian Stalinists
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