Attack Ad

The image - a migrant ship.

The message - THE NDP CHOSE AN ELECTION.

What's the connection?

A stark black, white and red political ad arrived in mailboxes in the riding of Esquimalt-Juan de Fuca this week. You have to read the fine print to discover Conservative candidate Troy DeSouza is behind the ads.

DeSouza is taking aim at NDP candidate Randall Garrison. Garrison ran in federal elections in 2004 and 2006 and in both finished a very close second to long-time MP Keith Martin. Now Martin has retired from politics and his nearest competitor in 2008 (when Garrison didn't run) was DeSouza, by a 68 vote margin.

DeSouza says the ad is not negative. He wanted to let voters to know where the political parties stood on the issue of illegal migrants. But DeSouza was not anxious to defend his campaign. Twice we were told he couldn't make time in his day for the media and when we approached DeSouza at an all candidates forum at Esquimalt High, he answered only four questions about the campaign and was quickly whisked away by his "media handler."

UVIC political scientist Dennis Pilon says DeSouza's campaign is supposed to invoke an emotional response and is not intended for deep thinkers. Pilon believes the anti-NDP ad may have failed the "smell test" if DeSouza was reluctant to talk about it publicly.

Follow Meribeth Burton on Twitter - http://www.twitter.com/ANewsMeribeth

Category:

News & Politics

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• /A\ News Vancouver Island
• Esquimalt
• Juan De Fuca
• Canada
• Federal
• Election
• Advertisement
• Attack
• NDP
• Conservative
• Campaign
• Meribeth Burton