But it's also true that B.C. voters on the centre-right weren't happy with the choices of an aging W.A.C. Bennett versus a populist Dave Barrett in 1972, a disintegrating Social Credit led by Rita Johnston in 1991 [ironically Johnston is now a BC Conservative advisor] or an underwhelming and slightly scary Gordon Campbell in 1996 versus an energetic Glen Clark.

Perhaps more problematic is that most British Columbians are finding out about Cummins and the BC Conservatives from the B.C. Liberal ads -- but they don't necessarily trust the source on what they hear.

That will backfire with many, who will remember the name and try to find out about Cummins, just not from the BC Liberals.

Vancouver's NPA plays chicken

The Vancouver Non-Partisan Association ad can be put to the same four-point test.

First, it is true that they are taking on an incumbent, although NPA mayoralty challenger Suzanne Anton is also an incumbent long-time councillor. We'll charitably give a modest passing grade.

Second, is the NPA being "significantly outspent" in the upcoming November election? No. At this point, the NPA ads are the only ones being run.

Vision spent $1.9 million in the 2008 election while the NPA spent $1 million. Not quite the ratio of B.C. Liberal spending compared to BC Conservatives.

Third, what has Robertson done that is irrefutable and wrong? Egads -- he's promoting urban farming!

Imagine growing edible wheat instead of neatly manicured green grass on your lawn! Think of having chickens in a coop in your back yard! Just like you can in New York, Chicago, Seattle and other major centres. Cluck, cluck.

Unfortunately for Anton's attack dogs, their own former 2008 mayoralty candidate Peter Ladner agrees with Vision, not the NPA, on this one.

"Politicians and candidates be warned: Ridiculing urban farming is a no-win strategy," wrote Ladner in his Business In Vancouver newspaper column last week, just a day after the NPA negative ads hit radio airwaves. "Food security is marching up the priority list in cities around the world, and Vancouver should be leading, not resisting, this movement."

Ladner wouldn't say his column was a counterattack on the NPA negative ads -- he didn't need to.

The NPA fails the test badly when even your own side says what you claim is dead wrong is actually absolutely right.

Fourth, does Suzanne Anton lack "name recognition" as a reason to go negative? No.

As the only opposition councillor at city hall, Anton has received the lion's share of publicity compared to anyone but Robertson. She has been an NPA councillor since 2005 and a park board commissioner before that.

That means the NPA fails on at least three of the four criteria for attack ads.

But even though both the BC Liberals and NPA made a huge mistake in hiring Wile E. Coyote as their chief campaign strategist, blowing themselves up instead of the Roadrunner, don't expect the attack ads to end.

Because can you trust the BC Liberals and NPA to do the wrong thing? Oh, don't be so negative!

[See more Tyee political coverage.]