UCP criticized for lacking mention of pandemic in latest ad

CALGARY (CityNews) – A new United Conservative Party (UCP) caucus ad was released with no mention of COVID-19, public health crisis, or the pandemic.

Political analysts are now weighing in saying the ad is tone-deaf as Alberta continues to break daily COVID-19 case records and as the Premier’s poll rating’s hit its lowest point this year.

“Dear Alberta. We’ve experienced tough times before. And just as we persevered then. We will persevere now,” the ad reads.

“Well let’s be clear, these conservative principals of self-reliance and self-responsibility have not worked thus far so probably poorly timed,” said Zain Velji, former political strategist, VP Strategist, Northweather.

“Poorly timed, not about health, just platitudes about how we’ve always gotten through this and a real hat tip to conservative principals that have gotten us here”

Political Science professor at Mount Royal University, Lori Williams also weighed in on the new ad.

“Nice sort of apple pie stuff, but I don’t think it’s going to have an impact on people who are really struggling right now.”

Williams notes the dissatisfaction in many Albertans with the government’s pandemic response is personal responsibility and lack of restrictions.

“These are not numbers that any government wants to see. Particularly around the primary issues of Albertans mind’s, the combined impact of the COVID-19 crisis and the economy.”

A recent Angus Reid poll showed a fall from grace for Kenney, with a rating drop to just 40 per cent approval, from 61 per cent in June.

The UCP has been criticized in the past for not including women in their campaigns.

“When you have an ad that has more horses than women in it, it tells you that the nature, the texture, the character of who they’re trying to connect to. A certain type of person,” said Williams who added that the era of dreamers, doers and believers the ad references are lone gone.

“The challenge of the future is what more people are concerned about.”

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