Raptors fans will once again see Ontario Premier Doug Ford and federal Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer side-by-side in a commercial scheduled to air during the NBA Finals.
The commercial was paid for by Engage Canada, a predominately union-funded organization with an anti-conservative focus.
In the 30-second advertisement, a woman is seen on a stretcher being wheeled down the hallway of a hospital.
“Following Doug Ford, Conservative Andrew Scheer would cut billions more from health care. Where would that leave you?” a narrator asks in the ad.
The commercial goes on to show a group of men in suits holding calculators stopping the patient before she is allowed into a room. The victim is visibly distressed.
“With American-style health care, the care you get depends on what you can pay,” the narrator goes on to say. “Andrew Scheer will never stand up to Doug Ford and his weakness will cost you.”
This is the second attack ad by Engage Canada that has aired during the NBA Finals.
The first advertisement, which originally aired on Monday, accused Scheer of “hiding something” and said that he would follow Ford’s direction of cutting health care and education funding.
Engage Canada managed to reach an audience of about 6.4 million Canadians during Game 5.
Tabitha Bernard, a spokesperson for Engage Canada, said that the organization also has a general television buy for the advertisements. She would not, however, comment on how much they’re spending per commercial.
“I’m just going to tell you it will be more than regular television and it was substantial and because of the donations that have been flowing in we were able to do it,” Bernard said.
The Progressive Conservative government is taking a five-month break from Queen’s Park and is set to return after the October federal election, leading to some speculation that Ford is trying to stay out of Scheer’s way.
With files from CTV News Toronto’s Colin D’Mello
