Thursday, November 12, 2009

SHOCKER

A quick refresher course, to put it all into perspective. On September 18th, the NDP sided with the Conservatives to pass the ways and means measure, averting the first threat of an election. On October 1, 2009, the Liberals non-confidence motion was defeated in Parliament, again averting an election. There was great speculation during this period that an election was inevitable, Ottawa buzzing about a looming campaign, the "pre-writ" period had begun.

I'm truly shocked, note the DATES:
The Conservative government spent more than $3 million of taxpayers' money in September on an advertising campaign that amounted to little more than self-promotion, a Liberal critic says.

The newspaper and web campaign, called Creating Jobs, didn't attempt to inform Canadians about how infrastructure stimulus spending was creating employment opportunities – only that the Conservatives declared it was, Liberal MP Martha Hall Findlay (Willowdale) said Wednesday.

"That offends me and it should offend all taxpayers," she said.

Hall Findlay said she could understand if the money was spent educating Canadians about H1N1 flu, "but patting yourself on the back and making big pronouncements is not part of what taxpayers' money should be spent on."

The Liberals have been focusing on money the Conservative government has been spending on what the Liberals call "meaningless" advertising campaigns, estimating the figure this year could reach $100 million.

They have also been pressing the government to prove that infrastructure stimulus spending has created jobs.

A government document shows that Cossette Communication Inc., solely responsible for Ottawa advertisement buys since 2003, spent $3,111,877.44 from Infrastructure Canada on advertising from Sept. 14 to Sept. 29.

This finding verifies what my eyes and ears told me. You couldn't turn on a television or the radio during this time, without being bombarded with these dubious government ads. It was a blitzkrieg, and the timing wasn't an ACCIDENT. The question for the government, why exactly did your RAMP up advertising, just as election talk reached a fever pitch? Shouldn't there be a consistent advertising agenda, why the SUDDEN saturation? Through their own advertising history, the government has effectively proven that these ads do have a partisan advantage, they were viewed as an asset in appealing for support. It's so bloody offensive that this ABUSE can occur, with little hint of recourse. It's time for some pointed questioning, because the degree and "coincidence" rise to scandalous proportions, that is not an overstatement. Money destined for stimulus was diverted to promotional ads, at taxpayer cost. How many jobs were lost, so Harper could "pad" his popularity?

UPDATE

More HERE.

18 comments:

RuralSandi said...

Why aren't Canadians paying attention?

Xmas is coming up - and it's a worry for many.

The flu season.

Job worries

I think Canadians just don't want to deal with it as they are stressed out. I think they will have to start to face the music and soon.

After reading some headlines this morning, it's obvious that the media don't want to deal with it either.

Enough already!

Steve V said...

3 million could have built another rink in a Conservative riding ;)

RuralSandi said...

I think this using Libs and brown bags is WAY past it's due date - it's absolutely no excuse for Harper to rip us off.

$3 million could have been added to the H1N1 treatments - to keep the debt down for Canadians.

How about the cost of those ten percenters - millions could have been added to health care, etc.

Some fiscal management - sigh....

Steve V said...

Sandi

No time for sad troll losers, that stalk this blog on a daily basis. Sorry :)

Mark Richard Francis said...

"Saying "Conservative riding" as if no Liberal voters live there and likewise benifit from economic stimulus is pathetically weakand petulant."


I had no idea the mere presence of Liberals legitimized the Conservative Kleptocracy.

Steve V said...

Apologies Mark.

Mark Richard Francis said...

And to think that my comeback was so good!

Ya, if you leave the troll up, everyone may start talking about him, and the thread goes astray.

Mark Richard Francis said...

I think that a byelection win for the Conservatives taking a riding from the Bloc, featuring a Conservative candidate very popular in the riding, who won pushing an anti-government stance, backed by a massive in-riding stimulus funding announcement, can't be qualified as a significant Conservative win.

The more significant win for the Conservatives was taking back Bill Casey's riding.

The Conservative slid in BC, losing to the vocally anti-HST NDP. That has to worry them.

Omar said...

Today I received a Conservative 10%er (i live in a CPC held riding) trumpeting Canada's Economic Plan. The title reads: "Protecting your Retirement". You open it up to see three talking points.
-Increasing the Age Credit by another $1000
-Preventing losses from being locked-in for your retirement savings
-Investing in more affordable housing for low-income seniors

Fair enough I suppose, but the thing I find curious is that at the bottom of the page is a 'Comment Online' section that prompts you to take a survey at conservative.ca
Is it really kosher sending out a flyer that represents the Government of Canada and shills for the CPC at the same time?
Seems odd to me.

Steve V said...

Great comeback :)


Omar

That shouldn't happen.

Steve V said...

Dude, the longer you spend you day here, the more my laughter grows. It's just so sad really. You probably think I actually read it too? LMAO. A nanosecond.

RuralSandi said...

Omar - I received the same ten percenter in my riding....from Rick Norlock AFTER the reports came out about the costs.

All their ten percenters have this "polling" question. If you call, they say that they are interested in what Canadians think - ya right. There're also polling via the ten percenters on our money.

I think I'm up to 27 ten percenters from Norlock. All have a polling question.

RuralSandi said...

Sandi

No time for sad troll losers, that stalk this blog on a daily basis. Sorry :)

???? - are you calling me a sad troller?

RuralSandi said...

Well, if I seem sad it's because John Baird's cat, Thatcher, died, which is sad, but Harper's bobbleheads called Downing Street thinking it was Margaret.

I'm sad because now I have to feel bad about his cat and laugh my head off at the same time..it's hard you know.

Steve V said...

No, just an apology, because you had responded to the sad loser and I chopped it. I'm done with that. Although I love watching them try, and try, and try. This clown has stalked this blog for months. Hilarious.

WesternGrit said...

Would there happen to be even "low lying" staff at Cossette which also happen to hold CPC memberships?

Would be interesting to see how ONE FIRM got ALL that advertising.

Steve V said...

I'm curious what rates the government gets for the ads, what with all these handouts discussed. There should be full disclosure and/or a set rate no matter who is doing ads.

rockfish said...

Last night I was polled about the byelection here; primarily they asked about the two frontrunners - Donnelly and Dillworth - and asked me to rate their campaigns. It also asked me why I didn't vote for dillworth. I pimped the poll abit by suggesting that i was interested in her message but was turned off by her invisible act during the campaign, refusing to do all-candidates meetings. The questioner than asked if there was anyway that i could envision voting conservative. I replied 'unlikely at this time.'
Makes me wonder just where that ethically challenged fundraiser/senator is digging up all this money to blow away. But obviously they're desperate. Give the CONs credit; they are working hard to figure us out.