Perhaps I’m mistaken, but it seems that some Canadians like to use vivid examples from nature to help illustrate their political talking points. Several days ago, the Conservative Party’s website featured an attack ad that utilized a bird pooping on Stephane Dion, the leader of Canada’s Liberal Party, to enhance the negative message’s effect. Steven Harper, Canada’s Prime Minister, apologized today for the ad which he called “totally inappropriate.”
The bird, which is an animation of a puffin, pooped while a voiceover said that Dion is “not a leader and not worth the risk.” The offensive material has now been edited out of a newer version of the commercial. You can see the revised version where the bird simply flies through by clicking here. The puffin was actually a subtle reference to another Liberal Party leader, Michael Ignatieff, who thought the bird would be a good symbol for the Liberal party.
Harper dissolved Canada’s Parliament on Sunday, forcing elections to come sooner than scheduled, within about a month’s time. The Conservative Party hopes to strengthen its power in the Canadian government, and its unclear if a negative attack ad like this one will help. While most people say that they don’t like these kinds of ads, conventional wisdom suggests that they are effective.
Read More About Environmental Politics in Canada on the Green Options Network:
- Canadian Green Party Leader Banned from Televised Debates
- Giant Swath of Forest Protected in Canadian Plan
- Northwest Passage: Myth or Reality?
Photo Credit: abardwell on Flickr under a Creative Commons license
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