The Green party wants to ban political advertising from television.
The Green party wants to ban political advertising from television.
Many countries ban the use of television advertising for political parties, including the U.K., South Africa, Brazil, Belgium, Switzerland, Chile, Sweden, and Ireland. Attack ads are widely recognized to discourage democratic participation and cost an incredible amount of money, creating an enormous imbalance between the different parties.
In order to have open, fair and participatory election campaigns, Canada should ban the use of television for political advertising before and during the writ periods. Current Elections Canada rules limit political party spending on television ads during a writ period, but there are no controls at all on television ads outside a writ period. “We should rely on free access to the airwaves, organized by networks to allow candidates to explain their own views and policies, not attack the character and personal foibles of the opposition,” said May.
Elizabeth May expands on her concerns here.