As Edmonton’s mayoral candidates await their fate on Oct. 20, some of them are reflecting on ads that ran both for and against them during their campaigns. Third-party advertisers (TPAs) like Working Families Edmonton, for example, ran ads for mayoral candidate Andrew Knack and against other candidates like Michael Walters. The group, formed six years ago, is registered as a TPA and is comprised of community groups, activists and unions. They began fundraising to endorse specific candidates when municipal parties began running in Edmonton. “We don’t think parties belong in municipal politics. We also don’t think big money belongs in municipal politics,” Working Families director Greg Mady told CTV News Edmonton. “So what we tried to do to live up to our values is figure out the best foot forward for that … all the candidates we supported were independent.” Knack, being one of those independent candidates, said he doesn’t love the idea of TPAs because they often function “behind the scenes.” “I don’t think they’re necessary when it comes to our local democracy. I don’t think third party advertisers should be allowed to operate,” he said. “I think it should be, if you want to donate, if you want to get involved, you should do that personally, or as part of your organization.” One political analyst said signs from TPAs hoping to influence your vote are only as effective as their objective. “Best case, the TPA can dive deeper into an issue and say things that maybe the candidate or party can’t say,” Najib Jutt told CTV News Edmonton. “But they can also muddy the waters. They can be misleading because they aren’t held to the same scrutiny as a political candidate.” Mady said the goal of Working Families Edmonton was to let voters know which candidates were aligned with the group’s values. “We cannot give any money, any messaging, any training to any candidates,” he said. And where Knack was endorsed by the group, Walters was the subject of ads opposing him. “I think third party advertisers play … a bit of a sneaky role in our elections,” Walters said at an unrelated press conference last week. “When I see TPAs running attack ads or disparaging my track record to help benefit my opponents, I think that’s unfortunate.” Knack, in turn, faced opposition by a group called Edmonton Forward, who ran ads telling people not to vote for him while consolidating support for Tim Cartmell. Jutt says the best choice for voters is to use their own discretion, do research, and find a candidate who best aligns with their own values in an elected official.
