Union attack ad likens PC’s Brown to Trump
Trump. Brexit. Brown?
The Working Families coalition of unions claims Progressive Conservative Leader Patrick Brown would bring the same “chaos” to Ontario that Donald Trump’s election triggered in the U.S. and the Brexit vote brought to Britain.
In its latest attack ad aimed at Brown, the group tries to tie two of the world’s most politically tumultuous events of 2016 to the June 7, 2018, provincial election.
“The United States voted for change,” opens the 30-second spot before cutting to a clip of Fox News’ Shepard Smith from Nov. 8, 2016.
“Donald Trump is the president of the United States,” Smith intones.
As ominous music plays, a warning appears on the screen: “Now they’re suffering the consequences.
“The U.K. voted for change,” the ad continues.
The BBC’s David Dimbleby is then shown delivering the stunning news from the June 23, 2016, referendum that led to Britain beginning its withdrawal from the European Union.
“The British people have spoken and the answer is: ‘we’re out,’ ” Dimbleby says.
“Brexit is creating chaos,” the commercial notes. “Now Patrick Brown promises change,” the ad says against the backdrop of photos of Brown.
“Patrick Brown: opposed marriage equality . . . called dishonest by his own party . . . delay minimum wage hikes . . . voted against working families . . . a bad change for Ontario.”
This part of the ad segment refers to Brown’s votes as a Conservative MP in Ottawa, problems within the PC party over candidate nominations, and his concern about Premier Kathleen Wynne’s plan to raise the $11.60 minimum wage to $15 in 2019.
Working Families has helped the Liberals win the past four Ontario elections with attack ad blitzes on the Conservatives. The group has three ads in circulation now.
While the first two are being broadcast on TV, this latest Trump-Brexit spot is designed for Facebook and other social media platforms.
Working Families’ Patrick Dillon, business manager and secretary treasurer of the Provincial Building and Construction Trades Council of Ontario, said the ads are paid for by public- and private-sector unions, including Unifor.
The Progressive Conservatives, who aired their own pre-election ads blasting Wynne’s Liberals as “politically corrupt,” have shrugged off the unions’ attacks.