Pubdate: Fri, 16 Oct 2015
Source: Toronto Star (CN ON)
Copyright: 2015 The Toronto Star
Contact:  http://www.thestar.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/456
Author: Tonda MacCharles
Page: 6
Cited: Concerned Parents For Canada: http://concerned-parents.ca/

TORIES 'KNOW NOTHING' ABOUT AD

Anti-Liberal Group Not Endorsed, nor Registered As a Third-Party Participant

A group called Concerned Parents Canada has released an anti-Liberal 
web ad echoing Conservative attitudes.

An email publicizing the video has circulated describing those behind 
its release as "a group of Canadian parents fighting for the rights 
of our children to live, eat, play, and grow in a drug-free Canada."

"Established during the 2015 federal election, Concerned Parents for 
Canada believes the drug policies being advocated by the Liberal 
Party of Canada are highly dangerous not just to society as a whole 
but to our children."

The release launching the ad says "while we are not endorsed by the 
Conservative Party, nor its MP Terrence Young, we wholeheartedly 
agree with his comments about Justin Trudeau's reckless drug policy."

Conservative campaign spokesman Kory Teneycke told the Star the party 
is not associated in any way with the group, "knows nothing" about it 
or the ad.

Its website, where the video may be viewed, does not identify 
organizers, a board or spokespeople.

The political ad's message echoes the one delivered in Conservative 
campaign ads in Chinese-language and Punjabi-language media outlets, 
and the same warning delivered by Harper in Brampton Wednesday night 
in an appeal to voters of South Asian origin who jammed a convention 
centre hall.

Harper touted his record on the economy, immigration and 
multiculturalism, highlighting his party's record of recruiting 
candidates and naming senators of South Asian origin. Then he drove 
home the message the party has pushed in ethnic media.

"We protected articles of faith such as the kirpan, and friends, 
unlike the Liberals and NDP, we cannot support legalizing marijuana," 
Harper said to a huge roar of applause.

"We will keep fighting to keep drug injection sites out of your 
communities and while they may support it, friends, our Conservative 
party will not support the legalization of prostitution."

The Star emailed the Concerned Parents Canada group, which does not 
use Conservative colours or logo but whose acronym would be CPC, with 
questions, and received an email reply from someone identifying 
himself as Todd, but refused to identify other parents involved.

"Our ad will be airing online this weekend with strategic ad buys 
across a variety of Canadian parent platforms," the email read. "We 
just formed this past week as a result of conversations between 
parents at a dinner party who all decided that enough was enough."

When a group registers with Elections Canada as a third party, it is 
allowed to legally spend up to $439,410 on national advertising, or 
$8,788 per electoral district to support a party or a candidate.

The email said that after the election, "dependent on the result, we 
will be poised to complete the registration of our group as a 
non-profit, begin accepting donations, and launch a comprehensive 
national advertisement/advocacy campaign across Canadian national TV, 
radio, and web platforms."
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom