Torie spend 26 Million on

[Topaz]

The Tories spent 26 million taxpayers money to advertise for 3 departments from Jan.11-Mar.31 on the action plan. That's more money than a national companies spends in a year! It's all about them, they know there's an election coming so they use taxpayers money to do it. http://www.ctvbc.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20110313/wpg_ads_110312/20110313/?hub=BritishColumbiaHome

[William Ashley]

The Tories spent 26 million taxpayers money to advertise for 3 departments from Jan.11-Mar.31 on the action plan. That's more money than a national companies spends in a year! It's all about them, they know there's an election coming so they use taxpayers money to do it. http://www.ctvbc.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20110313/wpg_ads_110312/20110313/?hub=BritishColumbiaHome

And this is only during that period.. they have done large amounts of advertising in other periods. I've only seen online ads for action plan and signs. The WEIRD thing in all this is that before ACTION PLAN, the sort of funding I am seeing was called "government grants"

It is like the government has turned stuff that use to be funded normally like roads and bridges and other projects into "ACTION PLAN" meaning only funding is being given if local and provincial governments are also paying. Where as beforethe government actually funded projects without making critera as strict as the ACTION PLAN.

Also the govenrment didn't pay to advertise grants they gave for things as far as I am aware.

It'd be nice to see what way the companies that are getting the contracts for these things lean.. is it more than 40% conservative that was the whole "Adscam issue"

So who is getting those millions?

Its funny who is getting the money too - Here are some of the action plan signs I saw:

1. Remodeling a house.

2. Cutting down trees in a park.

3. Fixing a road (that was a federal highway)

The first to are just stupid, and the last one is expected.

Then you spend millions on advertising during a deficit -- FOR WHAT? WHY? It serves absolutely no purpose. What is the critea that makes this a benefit to Canadians.. I don't see it. They cancled things that DO meet the critera met, and meanwhile are totally wastefully spending.

THEY DIDN'T DO ZIP, IT WAS TAX PAYERS MONEY THAT DID IT NOT THEM.

Edited March 14, 2011 by William Ashley

[Wilber]

Got to agree, it's disgusting. I really hate it when political parties abuse the public purse like this.

Edited March 14, 2011 by Wilber

[PIK]

You mean like today when iggy promised to build a rink for quebec ,and only for a few votes.Now that is disgusting.

[GWiz]

You mean like today when iggy promised to build a rink for quebec ,and only for a few votes.Now that is disgusting.

Link please...

[PIK]

Link please...

Already posted.

[GWiz]

Already posted.

Yeah, wrong thread, had 2 open, was asking about Iggy arena thingy, my bad...

[betsy]

The Tories spent 26 million taxpayers money to advertise for 3 departments from Jan.11-Mar.31 on the action plan. That's more money than a national companies spends in a year! It's all about them, they know there's an election coming so they use taxpayers money to do it. http://www.ctvbc.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20110313/wpg_ads_110312/20110313/?hub=BritishColumbiaHome

$26 million? That's peanuts compared to Liberals spending $300 million to advertise in Quebec (which later on became or is related to the Sponsorship scandal). And there wasn't even any recession then!

Anyway, so what if they do remind us Canadians what this government had accomplished that made our economy better than all the rest! We are still on the path of recovery! That kind of advertising will inspire confidence which will help get investors and create more jobs! It's boosting for the morale.

That's pro-active. People ought to be reminded who's at the helm in the time of this economic crisis.

At least it's not money going to an arena. Ignatieff - who isn't Prime Minister yet - is already promising to spend taxpayers' money on an arena. At a time like this when economy is still fragile. Really.

Just shows you what Conservative ads about Ignatieff is true: He ain't here for you!

Edited March 14, 2011 by betsy

[Wilber]

Anyway, so what if they do remind us Canadians what this government had accomplished that made our economy better than all the rest! We are still on the path of recovery! That kind of advertising will inspire confidence which will help get investors and create more jobs! It's boosting for the morale.

So you approve of political parties using public funds for political advertising.

[Shakeyhands]

Anyway, so what if they do remind us Canadians what this government had accomplished that made our economy better than all the rest!

Now THATS funny!

Edited March 15, 2011 by Shakeyhands

[nicky10013]

$26 million? That's peanuts compared to Liberals spending $300 million to advertise in Quebec (which later on became or is related to the Sponsorship scandal). And there wasn't even any recession then!

There wasn't a recession. There was a little thing called the referendum. That's what the advertising was for and all of it save a fraction of what some idiots in Quebec shaved off the top, contrary to what most conservatives claim actually did go to advertising.

[betsy]

So you approve of political parties using public funds for political advertising.

Political parties? You mean Oppositions getting a budget from public funds to advertise their parties? No.

Anyway, what exactly is this government advertising all about?

Edited March 15, 2011 by betsy

[Wilber]

Political parties? You mean Oppositions getting a budget from public funds to advertise their parties? No.

Anyway, what exactly is this government advertising all about?

The governing party also gets a budget from public funds. They get even more because they have more seats so that argument is crap.

This advertising is about extolling the virtues of the "Harper Government" in the run up to an election.

I am a conservative at heart but every time a new government comes in I hope it will behave more responsibly when it comes to this bullshit but it never happens, they are all the same. It's really quite discouraging, particularly when it comes from a party you have supported. Let them advertise all they want but on their own bloody dime.

[Mr.Canada]

This is a non issue. In tougher economic times the government is getting word out of what they are doing for the people of Canada. Where you see a sign is where the stimulus money is going. We had this discussion months ago already.

[DrGreenthumb]

The governing party also gets a budget from public funds. They get even more because they have more seats so that argument is crap.

This advertising is about extolling the virtues of the "Harper Government" in the run up to an election.

I am a conservative at heart but every time a new government comes in I hope it will behave more responsibly when it comes to this bullshit but it never happens, they are all the same. It's really quite discouraging, particularly when it comes from a party you have supported. Let them advertise all they want but on their own bloody dime.

I respect you more ater reading this post. Make me really proud, and don't vote for these crooks again. This is adscam all over again. They are already found guilty of cheating in the 2006 election by overspending on advertising, now they spend 26 million taxpayer dollars on this partisan ad campaign in the run up to an election? That is more than 6 million more than a party may spend on their ENTIRE ELECTION CAMPAIGN! This is just in the past 3 months. They have spent over 250 MILLION of our money on these bullshit campaign ads already!

[Mr.Canada]

I respect you more ater reading this post. Make me really proud, and don't vote for these crooks again. This is adscam all over again. They are already found guilty of cheating in the 2006 election by overspending on advertising, now they spend 26 million taxpayer dollars on this partisan ad campaign in the run up to an election? That is more than 6 million more than a party may spend on their ENTIRE ELECTION CAMPAIGN! This is just in the past 3 months. They have spent over 250 MILLION of our money on these bullshit campaign ads already!

This is Adscam all over again? Um no it isn't. Every government at every level advertises, plain and simple. There's nothing wrong with messages from this Harper Government. How else to inform the people how their money is being spent?

Also they aren't campaign ads. More NDP talking points. I'd like to hear an original thought in here someplace.

Edited March 15, 2011 by Mr.Canada

[DrGreenthumb]

This is Adscam all over again? Um no it isn't. Every government at every level advertises, plain and simple. There's nothing wrong with messages from this Harper Government. How else to inform the people how their money is being spent?

Also they aren't campaign ads. More NDP talking points. I'd like to hear an original thought in here someplace.

Do you lie awake at night wondering what Harper's j*** tastes like?

[betsy]

This advertising is about extolling the virtues of the "Harper Government" in the run up to an election.

The only ad I've seen so far is the one showing the Economic Action Plan. Granted it is extolling the accomplishments of this government....but on the other hand, it also makes sense to advertise it.

We've already spent billions giving out stimulus packages....why should we risk that by changing government when we're still trying to recover from the crisis? IT IS IMPERATIVE to remind Canadians about that! It is imperative to let the world know, Investors/Consumers: this is what we did! The world ought to be reminded that we are stable!

What, you throw out billions on stimulus spendings.....and get stingy on $26 million to promote the stimulus you spent?

I have no real problem about the usage of the "Harper Government." Harper's been villified and demonized since way before he even got into office. His name, "Harper" has been associated with vile, neo-con, extremist, right-wing, supremacists, etc.., Heck, they even gave negative nuance about his son's shyness to hug him in public. So now he is saying, "it is Harper sitting at the helm when the world was hit by the crisis...and Canada is one of the few ones left standing!"

We came out not so bad, considering the problems other industrialist countries are faced with.

I think he deserves the privilege to erase the negatives and vileness that the Oppositions tarred him with. That we - the taxpayers - pay the price for "cleaning up" the image of our Prime Minister....#26 million is still peanuts, considering the confidence and morale boosting this will generate to our economy.

Edited March 15, 2011 by betsy

[Molly]

If it's such a paltry sum then why don't the Conservatives pay for it themselves, instead of sticking me with the bill?

[SF/PF]

If it's such a paltry sum then why don't the Conservatives pay for it themselves, instead of sticking me with the bill?

Because they already exceeded their spending limits?

[GWiz]

The only ad I've seen so far is the one showing the Economic Action Plan. Granted it is extolling the accomplishments of this government....but on the other hand, it also makes sense to advertise it.

We've already spent billions giving out stimulus packages....why should we risk that by changing government when we're still trying to recover from the crisis? IT IS IMPERATIVE to remind Canadians about that! It is imperative to let the world know, Investors/Consumers: this is what we did! The world ought to be reminded that we are stable!

What, you throw out billions on stimulus spendings.....and get stingy on $26 million to promote the stimulus you spent?

I have no real problem about the usage of the "Harper Government." Harper's been villified and demonized since way before he even got into office. His name, "Harper" has been associated with vile, neo-con, extremist, right-wing, supremacists, etc.., Heck, they even gave negative nuance about his son's shyness to hug him in public. So now he is saying, "it is Harper sitting at the helm when the world was hit by the crisis...and Canada is one of the few ones left standing!"

We came out not so bad, considering the problems other industrialist countries are faced with.

I think he deserves the privilege to erase the negatives and vileness that the Oppositions tarred him with. That we - the taxpayers - pay the price for "cleaning up" the image of our Prime Minister....#26 million is still peanuts, considering the confidence and morale boosting this will generate to our economy.

90% of Canadians disagree with you, including many, many, TRUE "conservatives"...

Self agrandizing advertising at tax payer expense for a no longer existing program is "OK" with you? Why?

Are you saying the "left" was RIGHT in getting the Harper Regime to spend money that resulted in a $56 BILLION record deficite? (I was personally totally against ANY stimulous that didn't DIRECTLY result in saving jobs.)

What kind of "conservative" are you?

I'm a fiscally responsible "conservative" Liberal, which is a hell of a lot more "conservative" than anything that the Harper Regime is doing or has done in these NON-resessionary (in Canada) TIMES...

"You cannot consistantly perform in a manner which is inconsistant with the way you see yourself."

- Dr. Joyce Brothers

Edited March 15, 2011 by GWiz

[Wilber]

I think he deserves the privilege to erase the negatives and vileness that the Oppositions tarred him with. That we - the taxpayers - pay the price for "cleaning up" the image of our Prime Minister....#26 million is still peanuts, considering the confidence and morale boosting this will generate to our economy.

Absolute nonsense. You are saying that any politician should have free access to the public purse in order to counter all the bad things they perceive to have been said about them.

If so, why shouldn't Ignatieff have the same privilege when it comes to countering the conservative attack adds? I don't like the guy but fair is fair.

This is coming from a conservative remember.

[GWiz]

Absolute nonsense. You are saying that any politician should have free access to the public purse in order to counter all the bad things they perceive to have been said about them.

If so, why shouldn't Ignatieff have the same privilege when it comes to countering the conservative attack adds? I don't like the guy but fair is fair.

This is coming from a conservative remember.

Good response and I commend you for it...

Looks like we'll both be voting with a firm grip on our respective noses this TIME around, again, I'm thinking...

What's worse it's going to be another total waste of tax payer money because the outlook at this point in TIME doesn't seem to change anything as far as the numbers in parliament are concerned, UNLESS the Canadian public "wises up" suddenly... A rather unlikely outcome I'll admit...

[betsy]

Absolute nonsense. You are saying that any politician should have free access to the public purse in order to counter all the bad things they perceive to have been said about them.

If so, why shouldn't Ignatieff have the same privilege when it comes to countering the conservative attack adds? I don't like the guy but fair is fair.

This is coming from a conservative remember.

I guess you've got a good point there.

[Wilber]

Political parties using the public purse for political advertising has always really bugged me. I hated it when the Liberals did it and it probably bugs me even more when the party I supported does it. I guess I just hoped for a higher standard.