Tories Spend 5x more on ads than on H1N1

[jdobbin]

I doubt Dobbin you would ever turn away from the liberal brand Provincial or federal.

Because I'm not right wing. You are. Why settle for parties federally and provincially who want liberal policies.

[Smallc]

It is something that has been intruded on by the federal government.

It's something that the provinces have no problem with. It allows for a unified effort and a unified response. It's something that we were criticized for lacking in the past, and we're better a a result of having it.

[punked]

I think it is that the Cons spend 5 times more on ads on tax credits then ads on H1N1 but whatever facts are boring.

Edited September 21, 2009 by punked

[capricorn]

Everywhere I turn, governments at all levels are bombarding me with swine flu ads and information. Look, I am adequately panicked and frantic about this impending pandemic. As far as I'm concerned, an adequate sum of taxpayers' money is being spent on this campaign.

On the stimulus/budget ads, if the opposition thinks the government broke advertising rules, let them take their case to Elections Canada and/or any other body mandated to look into it. As it stands, all they've done is complain to the media about it.

[jdobbin]

On the stimulus/budget ads, if the opposition thinks the government broke advertising rules, let them take their case to Elections Canada and/or any other body mandated to look into it. As it stands, all they've done is complain to the media about it.

They have taken it to Elections Canada. I guess we'll see what the outcome is.

[Topaz]

I haven't seen any of the ads. I've seen a few all in blue that talk about the HRTC. That's it.

It's rather galling isn't it? One side does something and the other complains about it, but when the tables are reversed the same is still true?

They are probably running them in Tory ridings only. I can't believe they spent 34 million on these ads. What a waste, no wonder there's no money in EI!!

[jdobbin]

PM's pics pulled from economic website amid partisan flap

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/capress/090921/..._government_ads

The government of Canada website set up to promote the Conservative economic action plan had a slightly different look Monday: more than 30 photos of Prime Minister Stephen Harper had been removed.

Critics have complained that the website, www.actionplan.gc.ca, looks like a partisan promotion - complete with a Tory-blue colour scheme, glowing third-party testimonials, more than 40 photos of Harper and repeated references to "the Harper government" rather than the Government of Canada.

So, was this just government advertising? Or do you think Elections Canada might have had a problem with this?

[crazykai]

As policy is partisan, thus government policy adveritising can always be argued as partisan. Yet, much of it is harmless. No probleming the Conservative government saying "hey, you can file for the new Universial Child Care Tax Credit" or the provincial Liberals saying "hey, you can retrain if you have been laid off, call this number.. etc". But these Economic Action Plan ads are blantant party propaganda without any mention the party or leader name for legal reasons. Full of the typical vague mainstay conversative policy pitches, rhetroical slogans and fearmonger we have all heard a million times from the Harper Tories. Only "the fundamentals of the economy is strong" line from John McCain was missing, probably because when unemployment is near double digits and at a 15 year high and 19% of those between 18-25 are unemployed (18-25 most likely to vote Liberal over Tory too), it's now a much harder arguement to win.

These remind me the Harris government paid ads in the 90s with the wires everywhere shorting and Harris turning the swtich on a more simple circuit, promoting the merits of his new efficient smaller government. Such ads using government money are illegal, and should be, in many democracies, like the UK, or just unheard of because of the public outroar of it's similarities to propaganda from brutual dictatorships.

Then you have actionplan.gc.ca and conservative.ca, notice the similar page layouts. GC.ca websites have government mandated layouts. This one doesn't.

Edited September 22, 2009 by crazykai

[nicky10013]

As policy is partisan, thus government policy adveritising can always be argued as partisan. Yet, much of it is harmless. No probleming the Conservative government saying "hey, you can file for the new Universial Child Care Tax Credit" or the provincial Liberals saying "hey, you can retrain if you have been laid off, call this number.. etc". But these Economic Action Plan ads are blantant party propaganda without any mention the party or leader name for legal reasons. Full of the typical vague mainstay conversative policy pitches, rhetroical slogans and fearmonger we have all heard a million times from the Harper Tories. Only "the fundamentals of the economy is strong" line from John McCain was missing, probably because when unemployment is near double digits and at a 15 year high and 19% of those between 18-25 are unemployed (18-25 most likely to vote Liberal over Tory too), it's now a much harder arguement to win.

These remind me the Harris government paid ads in the 90s with the wires everywhere shorting and Harris turning the swtich on a more simple circuit, promoting the merits of his new efficient smaller government. Such ads using government money are illegal, and should be, in many democracies, like the UK, or just unheard of because of the public outroar of it's similarities to propaganda from brutual dictatorships.

Then you have actionplan.gc.ca and conservative.ca, notice the similar page layouts. GC.ca websites have government mandated layouts. This one doesn't.

Couldn't agree more. I've seen the rennovation tax credit commercials which I have more problem with. The gooey "we're doing great, we can't stop now!" IE - The Tories fixed the problem and we don't need election is something different entirely.

[jdobbin]

Now there are denials that pictures were removed.

Yeesh. I saw them there as did CP. Still, they had a cache of the website to back their claim.

http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Politics/2009/...tml?cid=rssnews

Despite adamant government claims to the contrary, dozens of photos of Prime Minister Stephen Harper have vanished from the taxpayer-funded website that promotes the Conservative economic plan.

The photos disappeared after The Canadian Press questioned the government about complaints of partisanship in federal advertising, including a website plastered with Harper photos.

“We have not removed any pictures of the PM,” a Privy Council Office spokeswoman insisted late Monday.

When confronted with the cache, the office closed off any reply.

Here is what some critics from the right say:

“People see it as an abuse of tax dollars,” Gerry Nicholls, a right-wing commentator and former Harper colleague at the National Citizens’ Coalition, said Tuesday.

“Governments should not be using Canadian tax dollars to basically run partisan advertising, and I don’t think anybody looking at those ads could mistake them for anything else. They were clearly partisan, clearly Conservative propaganda.”

[Bryan]

Now there are denials that pictures were removed.

Yeesh. I saw them there as did CP. Still, they had a cache of the website to back their claim.

http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Politics/2009/...tml?cid=rssnews

When confronted with the cache, the office closed off any reply.

Did you look at the cached copy? The same pictures are on the new version. The main feature spots cycle the content each time you visit, and they add new content every time there is a new announcement. Nothing's been removed.

[Topaz]

Even the Calgary Sun is reporting on Harper and the pictures. http://www.calgarysun.com/news/canada/2009...1057131-cp.html

[Oleg Bach]

The Tories have the money. Their friends own most of the media. The banks are still and will always be held by fiscal conservatives. Who ever controls the money controls the minds of the people though media..even if the Tories lose utterly they will still have great control over the ambitious and imprudent..ask Jack Layton.

[Topaz]

The Tories have the money. Their friends own most of the media. The banks are still and will always be held by fiscal conservatives. Who ever controls the money controls the minds of the people though media..even if the Tories lose utterly they will still have great control over the ambitious and imprudent..ask Jack Layton.

I also think it depends on the next leader of the Tories. Would it be McKay a former PCers or an former Alliance member like Kenney? Prentice?

[nicky10013]

I also think it depends on the next leader of the Tories. Would it be McKay a former PCers or an former Alliance member like Kenney? Prentice?

If it isn't an Alliance member the CPC falls apart. The Alliance wears the pants in this relationship. If it's a moderate PCer then the Canadian Alliance makes a magical reappearance.

Edited September 23, 2009 by nicky10013

[jdobbin]

Did you look at the cached copy? The same pictures are on the new version. The main feature spots cycle the content each time you visit, and they add new content every time there is a new announcement. Nothing's been removed.

The before and after captures shown on TV do indeed show pictures pictures removed.

[DrGreenthumb]

The before and after captures shown on TV do indeed show pictures pictures removed.

These Conservatives are so unethical. We need an election right away or the next time \flaherty opens his mouth it will be a 100 billion dollar deficit. I wonder how much taxpayers money they spent on all the partisan "action plan " billboards in every little town across Canada.

[ToadBrother]

As policy is partisan, thus government policy adveritising can always be argued as partisan. Yet, much of it is harmless. No probleming the Conservative government saying "hey, you can file for the new Universial Child Care Tax Credit" or the provincial Liberals saying "hey, you can retrain if you have been laid off, call this number.. etc". But these Economic Action Plan ads are blantant party propaganda without any mention the party or leader name for legal reasons. Full of the typical vague mainstay conversative policy pitches, rhetroical slogans and fearmonger we have all heard a million times from the Harper Tories. Only "the fundamentals of the economy is strong" line from John McCain was missing, probably because when unemployment is near double digits and at a 15 year high and 19% of those between 18-25 are unemployed (18-25 most likely to vote Liberal over Tory too), it's now a much harder arguement to win.

This is why there should be an independent advertising commission with the power to pull ads and bill the governing party for any advertising spent that's deemed to be partisan in nature.

[Visionseeker]

IMO, this is AdScam Tory style: cut out the bag men and just bilk the taxpayers $54 million to spout party propaganda. Frankly, I want the Conservative party to reimburse the treasury for this campaign. Anything less and the party should be persued for fraud.

Maybe the RCMP could announce just such an investigation smack-dab in the middle of an election campaign?

[Visionseeker]

This is why there should be an independent advertising commission with the power to pull ads and bill the governing party for any advertising spent that's deemed to be partisan in nature.

Government advertising is supposed to be controlled, yet it wasn't in this instance, I wonder why? I mean, how could this happen?

The Cons are desperate and are breaking every rule that stands in their way.

[Bryan]

The before and after captures shown on TV do indeed show pictures pictures removed.

No they don't. The pictures are still there. This "scandal" is wafer-gate all over again: Liberals making something up that never happened, then attacking that strawman.

Edited September 24, 2009 by Bryan

[jdobbin]

No they don't.

Really? I can see it for myself that pictures have been removed. How is that you have missed it?

It isn't Liberals who noticed this. It is Canadian Press. And they were on the political shows today talking about it.

I can see for myself that pictures that were there at the beginning of the week are not there.

All I can say is that Tories are going to great lengths to say there is no change. Why don't you blame the media rather than attacking the Liberal party which had nothing to do with the story.

Edited September 24, 2009 by jdobbin

[jdobbin]

The Cons are desperate and are breaking every rule that stands in their way.

The website doesn't pass the sniff test from the Taxpayer's Federation.

[Bryan]

I can see for myself that pictures that were there at the beginning of the week are not there.

List the specific images. Show them in the cached copy, and prove they are missing from the current version.

[jdobbin]

List the specific images. Show them in the cached copy, and prove they are missing from the current version.

I saw for myself from one day to the next. There were 40 pictures there. Now there are handful. Where did they go?

CP showed the web capture of the page and the PMO suddenly clammed up. Even Gerry Nicholls today on talk radio said he saw it for himself. Is he lying?