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WINNIPEG — Opinions are divided on Manitoba’s election campaign trail about whether using “ass” to describe your opponent is run-of-the-mill sass or a term too crass for the political class.

The New Democrats released two videos this week, in advance of the Sept. 10 provincial election, that use the word against Tory Leader Brian Pallister.

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Each ad features a woman complaining about the state of health care or the province’s roads. At the end, the actors refer to Pallister and appear to say “what an ass,” although the end of the final word is drowned out by an ambulance siren or street traffic. Subtitles in videos on the NDP’s Youtube channel spell the word “a–.”

Pallister, who is running for his second term as premier, was not amused.

“The ads are not only in poor taste but a sign of desperation by the NDP,” Pallister said Thursday.

“Two days ago, Mr. Kinew and the NDP said they were going to run a high-road, principled campaign … a day later they released ads that I haven’t seen in Manitoba political history — personal attack ads.”