With the Guelph municipal election just over a week away, the mayoral campaigns are in full swing. In an unusual turn for municipal politics, attack ads are appearing in local publications.

Mayoral incumbent Karen Farbridge has released an ad accusing opponent Cam Guthrie of being linked to the robocall scandal. The ad in the Guelph Tribune shows a photo of Guthrie standing with Michael Sona, the former conservative staffer convicted of election fraud in connection to misleading robocalls in the 2011 election.

“The robocall I think has become a symbol of the very toxic US style politics,” Farbridge said.

“That same playbook is playing out in this municipal election, and I think it’s important that voters know who their candidates are. I think it’s important (voters) know how (candidates) are running their election,” Farbridge continued.

Guthrie says he has nothing to do with the robocall scandal.

“I am absolutely not related to the 2011 campaign, and so for Karen and Karen’s team to dreg up some picture that is completely out of context and to stoop to this type of level in a campaign that is supposed to be about accountability, transparency and restoring some trust to city hall is just not called for,” Guthrie said.

“I have actually helped on many campaigns from many parties for the last several years and as an elected municipal official there is no room for party politics,” he explained.

 “Most candidates in municipal politics try to avoid limiting themselves to any one particular party when they’re campaigning… because they’re trying to reach beyond that,” said Robert Williams, a retired University of Waterloo political science professor, but Williams added the political parties are often active behind the scenes in municipal elections.

Guelph voters have mixed feelings about the ads.

“I think it’s just part of politics, and it’s nothing really wrong with being associated with one or the other party, and it would not change my vote” Marc Ricke said.

“I’m not very happy with it, I don’t like that kind of campaigning,” said Gretta Hofstra, but added that the attack ads would not influence her vote either way.