Sep 06, 2024 - 22:20
By cbc.ca

After decrying Tories for using Russian stock video clips, NDP does the same

The New Democrats used a stock image from Russia in a recent video, weeks after the party criticized the Conservatives for doing the same.

On Wednesday, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh announced in a video message that he was ending the supply and confidence deal with the Liberal government, while accusing Conservative policies of hurting Canadians, including retirees.

The video then flashes to a stock video of two seniors sitting at a table looking at their laptop.

The Canadian Press independently verified from several stock image sites, including Getty Images, that the video originated from Russia.

The two seniors are also featured in photographs on a website for a Russian university, which says they are faculty members there.

«We obtained the image from a North American stock image service,» the New Democrats said in a statement,

«Nowhere did the service mention where the video was taken. We'll take better care in the future.»

The NDP video remains up on all their social platforms.

Last month New Democrats denounced the Conservative Party of Canada after it used non-Canadian stock images in one of its videos, including Russian fighter jets.

The Conservative Party deleted the video after online criticism, saying «mistakes happen,» while pointing out that a Liberal ad from 2011 was scrutinized over its use of stock images.

At the time, MP Charlie Angus, NDP deputy critic for ethics, criticized the use of non-Canadian images in political messaging.

«I love Canada. I want the next election to be run in Canada, for Canada,» Angus said in a statement on Aug. 19.