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OTTAWA — The Conservatives are breaking federal government rules on advertising by trying to politicize the process, Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff charged yesterday.
“This is a flagrant misuse of taxpayers’ money,” Ignatieff told reporters.
Ignatieff called on the government to yank political content from taxpayer-funded ads and to set up an independent committee to ensure the government plays by the rules in the future. He said a Liberal government would also close loopholes in the rules.
The controversy surrounds millions of dollars worth of advertising the government runs each year. Under the government’s communications policy, ads are supposed to be non-partisan and identified as coming from the government of Canada.
However, Ignatieff pointed to recent ads and websites that refer to the “Harper government” and feature pictures of Harper or members of his cabinet.
Liberal MP Martha Hall Findlay said the Liberals are considering filing formal complaints with government officials or Elections Canada over some of the advertising practices.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s office defended the ads, saying it is important for the government to communicate with Canadians about programs such as the home renovation tax credit.
“Advertising is a very legitimate part of the government’s business, whether it’s H1N1, whether it is recruitment for the armed forces, whether it is elder abuse campaigns that we have done,” Andrew MacDougall said.
NDP MP Pat Martin said Ignatieff is right to blow the whistle on the Conservatives, but added the Liberals were guilty of engaging in similar practices when they were in power.
“Talk about the pot calling the kettle black. The Liberals turned this kind of abuse of government communications into an art form.”
elizabeth.thompson@sunmedia.ca