FOI documents reveal that just two campaigns cost taxpayers $6.6 million

VICTORIA: The Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) responded today to the prohibition on partisan government advertising adopted by the province.

"The government should be commended for keeping its promise to pull the plug on taxpayer funded, partisan, ads four months before voting day," stated BC director Sara MacIntyre. "But why do taxpayers only get four months of relief, why not four years "

The moratorium on taxpayer funded, partisan advertising took effect January 17, four months before BC's election date of May 17, 2005. However, the government has had several advertising campaigns underway for the past year.

"The government has completely missed the point. It doesn't matter when the money is spent, its how much money is spent. Why should taxpayers be footing the bill for any partisan advertising. And who determines what is partisan peddling and what is an information campaign " asked MacIntyre.

Recent freedom of information (FOI) documents obtained by the CTF reveal that just two of the government advertising campaigns cost taxpayers more than $6.6 million.

"Last year's campaign, 'The Spirit of 2010: Play Here, Be Here,' which needlessly reminded British Columbians that the Olympics are coming in 2010, cost taxpayers well over $4 million. Whether or not those ads were partisan is up for debate but was it a good use of taxpayers' money No. The $1.6 million 'Learn Here' campaign was another waste of tax dollars. And that's only two campaigns, taxpayers have also paid for 'Discover BC', 'Work here,' 'Invest here' and 'Play here,' who knows how much it all adds up to and for what benefit Instead of limiting the timeframe for taxpayer funded partisan advertising, the government should completely eliminate it," MacIntyre concluded.