We’re 48 days out from a provincial election, and attack ads are already rolling — you may have already seen or heard a few from various parties and candidates throughout Manitoba.
But while mudslinging in politics is nothing new, there are rules of engagement during election campaigns, and a non-partisan organization focused on political accountability says there are steps voters can take if they encounter false or misleading advertising.
Democracy Watch co-founder Duff Conacher told 680 CJOB’s The Start that Elections Manitoba — like most of its counterparts nationwide — has rules about accuracy.
“The key (is) to clean all of this up by making the parties and the candidates make definite statements, and not trying to suggest something that is not true,” Conacher said.
“It applies to promises as well — it is illegal under the elections law to induce a voter under a false claim to vote for a candidate or a party.
“There are facts in the world, and that’s really what these watchdogs — the election agencies across the country — they really need to be starting to stand up for truth, and when it’s a blatant lie, finding people guilty.”
According to Elections Manitoba’s code of ethics, candidates are required to “strive at all times to make public statements that are accurate” and avoid saving anything potentially defamatory against other candidates, leaders or parties.
They’re also cautioned to avoid making statements they know are untrue about opponents’ platforms, policy statements or positions, and making false statements or knowingly misinterpreting poll results.
If you think an ad violates any election rules, you can file a complaint with Elections Manitoba.
Once you’ve done that, Conacher said, you’ll have to wait and see how your complaint is adjudicated.
“There actually is a place you can go and file complaints. The big question is whether that place, Elections Manitoba, will actually do what it should do, and find a candidate or a party guilty if they mislead voters — because it is prohibited in the Manitoba elections law.”
Political analyst Shannon Sampert told 680 CJOB’s Connecting Winnipeg that repetition is commonplace in election ads, as a way to make a characterization of an opponent stick in the minds of voters.
“Political parties make assertions, and they make the assertions so often that we start to believe that they are true,” Sampert said.
“It doesn’t matter how many times the other party says it’s not true — the more you say it, the more you come to believe it.
“If I repeat it over and over again and if there’s a kernel of possibility, people will start to believe it.”
Sampert said people have a tendency to accept consider stretched truths or assertions as fact if they’re already suspicious of the other party.
“You can say it’s not true and force it off the air, but it doesn’t matter — the information is still out there and it gets repeated.”
Manitobans go to the polls Oct. 3.