Good post by Nick Martin of the Winnipeg Free Press today on school trustee candidates using government resources for election purposes...I tweeted earlier this year on how several City Council candidates had done the same.

Reading Nick's post motivated me to get around to emailing the city about the matter.

However, I didn't just ask about using email addresses, I also asked about all those bus benches and garbage cans around town with councillors' smiling faces on them. Apparently the cost for such signs counts towards the candidate's election expense limit, but is still paid for out of their government expense accounts. At least that's what one non-incumbent candidate told me.

We'll see what the word is from the city on that front.

On another note, I emailed the Mayor and Premier about the matter of politicians placing their names on construction project signs - as if they'd paid for them out of pocket themselves.

It may not seem like a big deal, but don't forget about how the Federal Ethics Commissioner rapped the knuckles of several Federal Tories who had been placing party logos and MP's names on government cheques. (And good for her for doing so!)

On page 17 of Ms. Dawson's May, 2010 report she notes "it is not appropriate to brand federal funding announcements with partisan or personal identifiers." Ms. Dawson also notes that using partisan identifiers "has the potential to diminish public confidence in the integrity of Members and the governing institutions they represent."

The City was also asked if the department of Public Works picked up the $4,900 construction bill for putting the signs up or if the cost was passed on to the appropriate politicians.

We'll see what happens.