Conservatives take aim at NDP in new attack ad

The federal Conservatives shift their attention from the governing Liberals to the NDP in a new attack ad.

The new ad, released Tuesday afternoon, describes NDP leader Jagmeet Singh as “treacherous Singh” and depicts him in a fake magazine titled “luxury retiree monthly” that uses real headlines from his leadership period.

“Jagmeet Singh is used to getting what he wants,” begins the 30-second ad, narrated by a woman over a dramatic string score. “He went to a fancy American private school in Beverly Hills, Rolex watches, BMWs, Versace bags, but now he’s got a problem.”

“He has to delay the election until next year when he is eligible for his $2 million pension,” the ad continues, “so he betrayed you and signed a contract with (Prime Minister Justin) Trudeau to raise taxes, crime and housing prices.”

“Sellout Singh,” it concludes. “He gets his pension, you pay the price.”

After the Liberals’ stunning loss to the Conservatives in the Toronto (St. Paul’s) byelection in June, in a constituency long considered a party stronghold, pollsters and political observers say it is clear there are no safe seats.

Meanwhile, two other upcoming by-elections – in the constituencies of Elmwood-Transcona in Winnipeg and LaSalle—Émard—Verdun in Montreal – have also captured the attention of leaders, with both Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre and Singh campaigning for their respective candidates this week.

Poilievre held a rally in Winnipeg on Sunday, while Singh was in Montreal on Monday.

Both midterm elections are scheduled for September 16.

Interestingly, the NDP released its own attack ad last month, the party’s largest pre-election ad purchase since 2015.

The 30-second commercial shows Singh setting up what the party calls the ‘change the rules tour’. The commercial is aimed at both Conservatives and Liberals.

Kathleen Monk, former NDP strategist and communications director for the late Jack Layton, noted the importance of the upcoming midterm elections in an interview with CTV News, saying voters should “follow the money in election campaigns.”

She said it was significant that the Conservatives were now targeting the NDP after years of focusing on the Liberals, who were lagging in the polls.

“It’s a very powerful ad, and it’s the first time we’ve really seen the Conservatives put significant money into an ad that’s targeted at New Democrats,” Monk said. “And if you’re wondering why that is, it’s because they see New Democrats as the real threat in the next election.”

She also called the Conservative Party’s new ad an “unfair” and “personal attack”.

Monk added that she doesn’t think the ad “will resonate with Canadians,” given Singh’s record of pushing for dental care and pharmaceutical care through the NDP’s trust and delivery deal with the Liberals.

Kory Teneycke, campaign manager for Ontario Premier Doug Ford and former communications director for then-Prime Minister Stephen Harper, called the Conservative ad “devastating” and “very effective” in an interview with CTV News.

“When you look at the people who are leaving the NDP to join the Conservative parties, provincially or federally, it’s often around those kinds of issues,” Teneycke said. “Traditional supporters who are maybe more blue-collar in their jobs or, you know, private sector union people, they’re not really the Rolex and Gucci shoe crowd.”

He added that the NDP under Singh has “really lost the script when it comes to appealing to those voters,” and that the Conservatives are wise to capitalize on this divide and portray the NDP leader as out of touch with his party’s base.

The Conservatives will launch a second attack ad on Wednesday.

With files from Judy Trinh of CTV News