PC ad encouraging Manitobans to vote like 'no one is watching' pulled within hours

In the final days of the provincial election campaign, the Progressive Conservatives posted and quickly yanked an online advertisement that suggests some Manitobans may feel judged for casting their ballot, but they should "vote how you feel, not how others say you should."

The video, published on Facebook and Instagram Saturday by the PC Party of Manitoba, sought to convince people to vote with their conscience and not submit to peer pressure because "no one is watching" your vote.

A political scientist, however, argues the ad is telling voters they shouldn't be ashamed to embrace some of the Tories' controversial positions during the election campaign.

The party has actively campaigned on its opposition to search a Winnipeg-area landfill for the remains of two First Nations women and has been promoting parental rights in schools, which some say could have dire effects on transgender and non-binary students who may feel unsafe to reveal their gender identities at home, said Kelly Saunders, an associate political science professor at Brandon University.

It's "basically saying to people, 'Look, you can do things that other people would say are immoral or unethical in terms of your voting decisions, and you can get away with it because the voting booth is private,'" Saunders said.

"I think … it speaks to the absolute desperation that the party is feeling."

The governing Progressive Conservatives have been trailing the NDP in two recent polls, particularly in Winnipeg.

The video is made of up slowly-moving images in greyscale, with dramatic music playing behind a voiceover. It shows a silhouette approaching a voting booth, picking up a pencil and marking a ballot.

"You're in the voting booth alone with a personal decision to make that is yours and yours alone," a man says in the voiceover, "so stand firm and vote how you feel, not how others say you should."

The voter then approaches the ballot box and drops their ballot inside.

"During an election it's OK to disagree on issues without the fear of being judged, so vote like no one is watching because no one is," the voiceover continues. 

The advertisement faced swift criticism online. The video was removed between five to seven hours after it was first posted.

The Tories, however, say its ad buys on social media are only meant to run for a limited period of time.

"Like all campaigns, we advertise on social media. We have scheduled a series of ads to go up and down at different times, and will continue to do so," said PC spokesperson Shannon Martin, who is not seeking another term as the MLA for McPhillips.

The party didn't answer whether this ad was only intended to run for a portion of a day. It was taken down at least 90 minutes before advance voting closed on Saturday. 

"This video is to encourage voters from across the political spectrum — so many who support the key issues of our platform — to shut off the noise of the NDP and public union attacks, and to remind them that their ballot is their choice and theirs alone," Martin said.

Meta's advertisement library states the spot ran on Facebook and Instagram. It was viewed between 10,000 and 15,000 times, which may include multiple views by the same people. 

Saunders said the ad's short timespan likely speaks to the pushback the party received "and they know that maybe they've gone too far."

Appealing to 'baser instincts'

She doesn't believe the video spot is an attempt to inoculate against NDP or public union criticism, but rather to appeal to the "baser instincts" of some voters. 

"I think what this is doing is it's saying it's OK to have that bias maybe or to have negative stereotypes about a group because no one needs to know about it," Saunders said.

The social media ad follows PC efforts in the last week to ramp up their attack ads against the NDP.

In a full-page ad in the Winnipeg Free Press last Wednesday, the PCs drew attention to past criminal charges against NDP Leader Wab Kinew and Thompson incumbent candidate Eric Redhead, as well as Fort Garry incumbent candidate Mark Wasyliw's work as a criminal defence lawyer and social media posts or policy positions taken by four other NDP candidates.

Last weekend, the Progressive Conservatives took out a full-page ad in the Free Press outlining several policy positions, with the largest text highlighting the party's opposition to the landfill search.

The party has also taken out billboards lauding its promotion on the landfill search, as well as its support for parental rights.

• Read full coverage of the 2023 Manitoba election