Ontario government spent $13M on 'partisan' ads, auditor general says
Ontario's Progressive Conservative government spent about $13.75 million last year on ads the auditor general believes are partisan, she said Wednesday in her annual report.
That money represents nearly 20 per cent of all government advertising in 2021-22.
Prior to 2015, ads were banned as partisan if the intent was to foster a positive impression of government or a negative impression of its critics, but the then-Liberal government amended the rules in that year.
Now, the auditor general can only veto an ad as partisan if it uses an elected member's picture, name or voice, the colour or logo associated with the political party or direct criticism of a party or member of the legislature.
Auditor general Bonnie Lysyk railed against the changes at the time, as did the Progressive Conservatives when they were in Opposition. They promised during the 2018 election to reverse the Liberal rules, but decided otherwise once in government.
Lysyk said in this year's report that two ad campaigns would have been considered partisan under the old rules, including an "Ontario is Getting Stronger" campaign, which ran right before ad restrictions ahead of the spring election came into effect.
"In our view, the purpose of the campaign was to foster a positive impression of the government," she wrote in the report.
"The ads claimed 'Ontario is getting stronger,' 'New highways, homes and public transit are being built for a growing province' and 'Our economy is growing stronger than ever' without context or substantiation."
The ads directed Ontarians to a website for more information, but it lacked detail, Lysyk said.
The government told the auditor's office the ads were meant to "address uneasiness that has grown throughout the pandemic and instil confidence in Ontario's short and medium-term future."
The other ad campaign Lysyk took issue with was around the fall economic statement. which she said were designed to foster a positive impression of government and lacked context or substantiation.
Lysyk used her report to again call on the government to revert to the old definition of partisan. It declined.
"The government reviews all advertising paid for by the province to ensure it is delivered in the most efficient and cost-effective manner, to maximize value for taxpayers," the Treasury Board said in a response in Lysyk's report.
"The government is maintaining the status quo at this time."
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 30, 2022.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Latest updates on air quality alerts, and when the smoke may reach Ontario and Quebec
Wildfires have led Environment Canada to issue air quality advisories for parts of B.C., Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and the Northwest Territories, as forecasters warn the smoke could drift farther east.
Steal a car, lose your driver's licence under new Ontario proposal
Repeat car thieves may face lengthy licence bans under proposed changes to Ontario’s Highway Traffic Act.
Ellen DeGeneres addresses the 'hurtful' end of her talk show in new stand-up set
Ellen DeGeneres is reflecting on how her talk show came to an end in her newest Netflix special, 'Ellen's Last Stand ... Up Tour.'
What to pack during an emergency
Knowing what to have at home, or take with you for an evacuation, can be useful and even life-saving.
LIVE UPDATES Star witness returning to the stand for more testimony at Trump's at hush money trial
Donald Trump’s fixer-turned-foe returns to the witness stand Tuesday for a bruising round of questioning from the former president’s lawyers.
B.C. brings in law on name changes on day that child killer's new identity revealed
The BC NDP have tabled legislation aimed at stopping people who have committed certain heinous acts from changing their names.
Regulated area for invasive box tree moth expanded to parts of the Maritimes
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has added much of the Maritimes to a regulated area for an invasive species.
Already expensive, planning for fertility treatment difficult as costs vary widely
Being unable to have a child naturally can be extremely difficult. But when you factor in the high costs of fertility treatments, the range of individual circumstances and the fact that the industry itself is secretive about fees, it can make the whole ordeal even more devastating and hard to plan for.
A healthy lifestyle can mitigate genetic risk for early death by 62%, study suggests
Even if your genetics put you at greater risk for early death, a healthy lifestyle could help you significantly combat it, according to a new study.