May: Attack ads prevent us from voting

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May: Attack ads prevent us from voting
Some countries have banned them altogether
Tamara Slobogean Feb 07, 2011 06:39:02 AM
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VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) - It's no secret they can get pretty nasty and disrespectful, but there is a valid reason why voters are being bombarded with political attack ads, even though no election has been called.

The more time they have to infiltrate, the better, that's according to Green Party Leader Elizabeth May.  She says attack ads work because they disgust people so much, they won't vote at all.

"And make Canadians feel more and more as though the life of the country, in terms of how you elect your government, is something they don't want to participate in."

During the last election, May explains attack ads helped the Conservatives because more than 700,000 fewer Liberals bothered to vote.  However, 170,000 Tories stayed home as well.

She adds Canada and the US aside, many countries ban paid political ads and she proposes we should test that ban here too.

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