Spot check: A regular look at the latest ads from the parties

By Shannon Proudfoot
Canwest News Service

"The ad is effectively trying to tie Harper to Bush and Howard," says Jeff Musson, a 35-year-old Windsor, Ont., voter. (Jim Young/Reuters)

Liberals

The Spot: "Harper, Howard, Bush and Iraq"

The plot: Reminds Canadians "how proud you felt when Canada's Liberals told Bush, `No way' on Iraq," alongside an image of the House of Commons giving a standing ovation to Jean Chretien.

Says Stephen Harper - "ashamed of his country" - was opposed to that decision and "stole" comments from "Bush's strongest pro-war ally," Australian Prime Minister John Howard, in order to say so.

The bottom line: "Harper parroted his words and would have followed him to Iraq. That's the real Harper. Do you really want more of this?"

The message: "The message they're trying to send with this ad is very similar to the message Paul Martin tried to send in 2004 and again in 2006. You knew it was coming, you were just wondering when," says Darrell Bricker, CEO of Ipsos Reid Public Affairs.

"The message is, if this guy gets a majority government - if you give Stephen Harper a majority government - this is probably what he would have done with it. This is the anti-majority message."

"The ad is effectively trying to tie Harper to Bush and Howard," says Jeff Musson, a 35-year-old Windsor, Ont., voter and small business owner of Dynamite Network Solutions, an IT company.

"The Liberals are trying to tie the judgment of Harper supporting the Iraq war to his judgment as PM. "

The review:

"The reason it's effective is because there still is this nagging doubt about whether or not Stephen Harper has a hidden agenda, and this gives it content," says Bricker.

"It reminds people with words Stephen Harper used himself of what his intentions might be if another issue like this comes up."

"Bush is unpopular and Howard lost his election over Iraq, and the Liberals are trying to tie that unpopular war to Harper. They can't do it for the Afghan war, because Paul Martin sent us into that war," says Musson.

"(The ad is) effective, but shows the Liberals are desperate at knocking down Harper's favourable rating."