Dear Editor
I was recently disturbed and surprised by a negative political ad featured on a CTV program I was watching. I know all political parties may have ads from time to time, even when there isn't a campaign going on, but the especially disturbing feature of this one was that, although I naturally thought it was sponsored by Harper's Conservative Party because it was so negative against the leader and other members of the federal NDP, it concluded with a declaration it was sponsored by the Sask. Party.
I had heard the Harper organization had begun to spout meanly personal negative ads against the leader of the federal NDP, as they had done rather successfully against the last two leaders of the Liberals, and I know the Sask. Party is also a right-wing party with the same basic mean-spirited political philosophy as the Conservatives. However, I also believed Brad Wall was too clever a politician to be seen to be in lock-step with Steven Harper.
Most of the undermining done so far by the Sask. Party government of the social network established by successive Saskatchewan governments for over 50 years has been done with little fan-fare. These are moves such as (but not limited to)the Wall government'spast and present rounds of legislation against labour unions, the axing of the tax benefits to the local movie industry, removal of established provincial funding for Station 20 in Saskatoon and low-key moves to begin the privatization of the provincial Crown corporations. These moves have also been done while espousing earnest-sounding claimsto havebasic Saskatchewan values.
I think this Sask Party sponsorship of a Harper-style negative ad against a federal politician and others could be the start of a more honest public display of their ultra-right, American style, divisive and negative political direction.
Russell Lahti
Bettleford
