AFL’s #KenneyCuts campaign includes plane crash analogy
Posted Nov 5, 2019 3:11 pm.
Last Updated Nov 6, 2019 11:14 am.
CALGARY (660 NEWS) – The Alberta Federation of Labour is targeting the premier in new series of ads, one of which includes Jason Kenney in the cockpit of a crashing plane.
The cartoon ad compares the private and public sector to two engines on a plane and shows Kenney jumping out of the crashing aircraft.
When the private sector is sputtering, the ad says, the premier shouldn’t be making cuts to the public sector. Cue the plane crash.
The @ABFedLabour is targeting Premier @jkenney in a new series of ads, one of which includes Kenney in the cockpit of a crashing plane, an analogy they use for @YourAlberta's economy. Video: @ABFedLabour. #yyc #Alberta #AbLeg @BTCityNewsCGY @660NEWS pic.twitter.com/RvQvfRhb2T
— Saif Kaisar (@StaySaif) November 5, 2019
“When you withdraw billions of dollars from the economy you run the risk of tipping it into recession,” explained AFL President Gill McGowan, adding the ad campaign was launched to encourage people to resist the UCP’s cuts.
“We’re very concerned that they are going to crash the economy in the process. Keep in mind that we haven’t yet fully recovered from the oil price crash… Now is not the time to be layering public sector unemployment on top of private sector unemployment.”
Considering Alberta’s last conservative premier, Jim Prentice, died in a plane crash in B.C. in 2016, Data Scientist with Janet Brown Opinion Research John Santos says this particular analogy probably wasn’t the way to go.
“Using a plane crash as a metaphor when Prentice died in a plane crash I think there’s some bad taste around that.”
The @Alberta_UCP responds to video. “Disappointing, but not surprising from this activist group. It's unfortunate that the AFL has stooped to this level to peddle fear," says @jkenney's spokesperson. #AbLeg #Alberta #yyc @660NEWS pic.twitter.com/EuHkErfIkg
— Saif Kaisar (@StaySaif) November 5, 2019
McGowan says the ad campaign isn’t about any person in particular and was strictly aimed at government policy.
“Those who are trying to connect our ad with the tragedy of Jim Prentice’s death are just playing a political game to draw attention was from the message,” said McGowan.
“The analogy is clearly about the economy.”
In a statement, the UCP says, it’s “disappointing, but not surprising” and it’s “unfortunate that the AFL has stooped to this level to peddle fear.”
