评论：政治攻击会引火烧身

 

我的那篇有关Don Valley North选区柯文彬和高雪莉之间选举战的文章引发了许多读者的批评和不满，而这些读者大部分都是保守党的支持者。他们反击文章中对高雪莉做出的正面评价，指控说高是市政府肥油列车的干将，以及前市长罗伯•福特的主要政敌。他们甚至威胁称，如果高雪莉当选，她将把给多伦多市造成的伤害带到整个安省；他们用高倍望远镜审查高雪莉的过失，挖出网上所有有关她的负面新闻。还有些人怒不可遏地拔掉她在街区的竞选牌。

My article that reveals a tough election battle between Vincent Ke and Shelley Carroll in the Don Valley North riding has drawn anger and criticisms from readers -- mostly from PC supporters. They are unhappy about the positive light it sheds on the Liberal candidate Shelley Carroll, accusing her of being the culprit of government waste and the major opponent of their beloved former mayor Rob Ford. They warn that if Carroll is elected, she would expand her harmful influence to the entire province; They put Carroll on their fault-finding radar, uncovering all negative online stories; Some even pulled out her campaign signs from the neighbourhoods.

乘选民愤怒情绪的东风可让一名平民主义政客顺利当选，但管理一个世界一流城市却远不像停止费油列车那么简单。这也就是为什么罗伯•福特的削减开支之改革最终不了了之。但向竞选对手的攻击是政治领域的家常便饭，在北美的选举历史上屡见不鲜。候选人日益高涨的声望将给竞选对手造成威胁，因而会使其本人成为对手的众矢之的。在历届美国选举史上出现了各种各样的攻击战。在某些极端情况下，来自竞选对手的有关谋杀，抢劫，强奸，私通甚至乱伦等威胁也日嚣尘上。在美国最近的总统选举中，川普对克林顿进行万般侮辱，并扬言要把她送入监狱。

Riding a wave of a resentment can easily lead to an election victory of a populist, but running a world-class city isn’t as easy as ending a gravy train, which was why Rob Ford’s budget cut reform eventually run out of steam. But attacks from rivals are a political norm that have a deep root in election history. A candidate’s growing popularity would threaten the rival’s odds to win, which, in turn would leave themselves in the crosshairs of their opponents’ assaults. Historically in US elections, mudslinging and accusations by rival candidates were common practices. In some extreme cases, there were threats of murder, robbery, rape, adultery, and incest from their opponents. In recent US presidential election, Trump hurled insults at rival Hilary Clinton, threatening to lock her up. 

2015年联邦大选期间，在哈珀支持下保守党在万锦於人村选区向对手自由党展开了攻击战，目的是笼络华裔和旁遮普裔选民的人心。他们利用族裔人士对大麻，毒品的恐惧心理而大肆宣称特鲁多支持向儿童出售大麻，扩建毒品注射中心，并在社区开设妓院等。

In 2015 Canadian federal election campaign, the conservatives supported by Harper launched a dirty campaign tactic in the Unionville riding that targeted at Chinese and Punjabi-speaking voters. Their campaign tapped into the fear and concerns of ethnic community members on marijuana and drugs, claiming Justin Trudeau supports the sale of marijuana to children, the expansion of safe injection sites and the establishment of neighbourhood brothels. 

 

但发动政治攻击战未必能达到所期望的目标。在三党竞争的局面中往往是河蚌相争，渔翁得利。当哈珀对特鲁多的攻击战进行得如火如荼之际，保守党民调前频频失利，而新民主党支持率攀升。这种丑陋的攻击战未能阻止自由党组成多数政府。

But waging political attacks may not bring the best expected results. In a three-party race, attacks against the rival would only benefit the third party. At the time when Harper's attack on Trudeau ramped up, Conservatives poll numbers plummeted while NDP supporters soared. Their dirty tactic failed to stop the Liberals from forming a majority government. 

目前的省选民调结果对保守党的支持者颇为不利。新民主党的支持率扶摇直上，保守党从领先地位下滑而屈居第二。毫不奇怪，更多的新民主党竞选牌呈现于Don Valley North选区的大街小巷。

The opinion poll in the current election campaign isn’t very encouraging for the PC supporters, as NDP takes over the lead while the PC slipped to the second place. Unsurprisingly, more NDP candidate signs erupted and appeared in the neighbourhood of the Don Valley North riding.

但高雪莉的竞选团队却对攻击战持冷静态度。当我向一名上门为高拉选票的志愿者问及他们对保守党候选人柯文彬的看法时，他的回答让我赞赏有加：

But Carroll’s team seems to show a very calm reaction to their rival’s attacks. When Carroll’s campaign foot solider was asked about his opinion on the PC candidate Vincent Ke, his response impressed me:

“我想此刻发表对对手的看法是不恰当的。”

“I think it is inappropriate for me to provide any comments on our rival at this point.”