Canada PoliticsAre political attack ads the same as bullying?
I think there's some analysts in Ottawa that have either become too sensitive or are really — like the Conservatives suggest — trying to protect Justin Trudeau.
There are several columns written over the past couple days — here, here and here — which are actually saying that the Conservative attack ads against Trudeau are akin to bullying.
[ Related: Tories undaunted by criticisms about Trudeau attack ads ]
Here's one, from Monday, from the Chronicle Herald's Dan Leger:
Negative messaging attacks character and in that sense, it’s pure bullying. Nobody reading this needs to be reminded how bullying has become a toxic factor in society or how well it works in media. And it isn’t just for kids.
I’d argue that political attack ads, like those launched by the Conservatives against Trudeau, constitute a form of cyber-bullying. They’re aimed at a visible target like Trudeau, but they go way beyond that. The real target, or victim if you will, is the broader audience.
For good reasons of free speech, we’ve separated political attack ads from other forms of cyber-bullying. But they aren’t much different.
With all due respect to Mr. Leger, they are very different.
Let's not even tacitly compare these attack ads to what happened to Rehtaeh Parsons, Amanda Todd, or the thousands of other school aged children across the country who must deal with a daily barrage of physical and verbal abuse from more powerful perpetrators.
Justin Trudeau is an adult, who chose to go into politics and, as such, has given the Canadian public — and political entities — the right to judge and comment on his policies, his ideas, his leadership qualities, his experience, his maturity and intellect. He is, after all, applying to be our prime minister.
The Tories have every right to highlight what they believe are Trudeau's shortcomings just as Trudeau has the right to paint Harper as a controlling leader — as he has — or to call a cabinet minister a 'piece of sh#@."
[ Related: Tories angry at Liberal senator’s now-deleted tweet about Via Rail terrorism plot ]
Say what you want about the effectiveness of the ads — the intent is to put forward a message that Trudeau is not ready to be a leader of a party and that he "is in over his head."
Are the ads a little cheesy? A little mean-spirited? Sure they are.
But it's not bullying, and there's no reason for the Tories to pull them.
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