Vancouver Centre NDP candidate tears page out of AOC's winning playbook

If imitation is indeed the sincerest form of flattery, then U.S. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez should feel chuffed about a campaign video produced by newly nominated Vancouver Centre NDP candidate Breen Ouellette.

Ouellette's video, entitled Together uses comparable imagery, similar swelling music and an almost identical script as AOC's Courage to Change video that helped the young politician pull off a stunning upset over a 10-term incumbent last year in New York.

Hoping to become a political giant-slayer in his own right, Ouellette's video takes aim at Liberal Hedy Fry, Vancouver Centre's member of parliament for over 25 years. 

"[AOC] ran a successful campaign against an establishment candidate and we want to do the same thing," said Ouellette about the video. "I don't think there is any plagiarism."

Ouellette's video opens with shots of him choosing a shirt from his closet and his voice narrating: "I haven't always been encouraged to speak out ..."

Ocasio-Cortez's video opens with visuals of her tying up her hair with her narration: "Women like me aren't supposed to run for office ..."

She then says, "I wasn't born to a wealthy or powerful family" over photos of her parents. Ouellette says, "my working class parents weren't connected to wealth or power" over photos of his parents.

Later, a photo of 10-term Democratic rival Joe Crowley is shown and AOC asks, "after 20 years of the same representation we have to ask who has New York been changing for?"

Over video of Fry, Ouellette asks, "after 25 years of the same representation, it's time to ask has Vancouver been changing for us?"

AOC says, "every day gets harder for working families like mine to get by," while Ouellette says, "every day gets harder for working people to get by."

And on it goes, with Ouellette's video and script in lockstep with Ocasio-Cortez's until the final shots where she says, "a New York for many is possible," and he says, "a Vancouver for all is possible." 

CBC has reached out to Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's campaign for comment but hadn't heard back by time of publication.

Ouellette says his campaign worked with an independent filmmaker to produce the video and that they never contacted AOC's team.

'I was the underdog'

He not only stands by the video but credits it with helping score an upset in the July 28 Vancouver Centre NDP nomination race where he defeated Morgane Oger and David C. Jones.

"It's already worked," he said. "I was the underdog ... and we put that video out and it had a big impact."

Ouelette can only hope the video continues to resonate with the federal election less than three months away and rival Fry seeking her ninth consecutive term.

"People in this riding want something more from their MP than what they're currently getting," said Ouellette.

Politicians "borrowing" from the campaigns of others is nothing new. In 2011, a patriotism-themed Stephen Harper television ad was accused of bearing more than a passing resemblance to one promoting the presidential bid of Tea Party Republican Tim Pawlenty.

Ocasio-Cortez's video has 1,028,000 views on YouTube. Ouellette's has over 560.

CBC was made aware of to the similarities in the video by an audience member who did not want to be interviewed and did not answer questions about his political affiliations.