NDP Deputy Critic for Ethics, and Timmins—James Bay MP Charlie Angus, is slamming the Conservative Party for releasing then deleting a new ad following backlash online:
“I’m calling on Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre to clearly and publicly commit to ending the use of phony, fake, manufactured digital content to support his campaign and denounce any external efforts to do the same."
Angus says this past weekend the party launched a commercial called ‘Bring Home the Country We Know.’
"But it didn’t show the Canada we know and love. Instead, Poilievre’s ad used video footage of classrooms in Serbia, pick-up trucks in America, new home builds in Slovenia, cattle in California, universities in Ukraine and, worst of all, Soviet-made fighter jets."
Angus says in a news release that it’s one thing to use a stock photo, but quite another to launch an entire fantasy in which Russia, America and Serbia represent your dream for our country’s future.
"This insult to Canadians comes on the heels of a mysterious bot campaign that was used to create fake momentum and bogus glowing reviews for his rally in northern Ontario. While it’s not clear who was behind the campaign, the accounts which were purportedly from Russia, France and other countries, were promoting the Conservative Leader.
"I love Canada. I want the next election to be run in Canada, for Canada. Pierre Poilievre must send a clear message to his campaign teams and any external groups that want to see a cutting Conservative government in this country: phony, fake, bogus digital content is wrong, and it’s got to stop.”
See related: Poilievre questions government support for local journalism