Pulse of CanadaDo attack ads actually work?
It's interesting — there is no federal election campaign underway, but there's no shortage of political advertisements currently on Canadian airwaves.
In fact, the next federal election will likely not happen until the fall of 2015 — over two years from now. But that hasn't stopped the federal Tories from deploying attack ads against newly-elected Liberal leader Justin Trudeau. Trudeau, for his part, has responded with ads of his own.
This is nothing new for Stephen Harper's Conservatives, who have regularly circulated television advertisements belittling opposing leaders, including Stephane Dion in 2007 and Michael Ignatieff in 2009.
And apparently there's good reason for the practice — according to pudits like the Globe and Mail's Jeffrey Simpson, attack ads actually work in swaying public opinion.
Attack ads are part of the way the Harper party does politics and, as such, won't disappear. They also work, the other reason they won't disappear.
So we put it to you: Do you agree that attack ads work? Do these advertisements have any influence on your opinions of the Conservatives and Liberals?
Have your say in the comments area below.
