A contest centred on 'Richard the frugal MLA,' shown on Q104.ca in this screen grab, has some Nova Scotia MLAs up in arms. (CBC)

A contest poking fun at free-spending Nova Scotia members of the legislature has landed a Halifax radio-station in trouble.

At least one sponsor has pulled out of the Q104 contest, which is asking listeners to guess how much "Richard the frugal MLA" has taken from taxpayers and buried in the tropics.

"Now is your chance to be the only Nova Scotia taxpayer to benefit from the slimy douche-baggery of Richard the frugal MLA," the on-air contest promotion by the station, which bills itself as the "home of rock 'n' roll," says over the sound of ringing cash registers.

"Richard's ... living the high life... On your dime. But the auditor general pointed a big fat finger at Richard, so he's bolting to the tropics with a massive bag of your cash and buried it on the beach."

The promotion on Q104.ca features a photo of a suit-clad man lighting a cigar with a $100 bill, and says listeners can win up to $20,000 and a trip to Cuba.

The radio station said Richard the frugal MLA is fictitious, but Progressive Conservative MLAs believe it's an attack on the former MLA for Yarmouth, Richard Hurlburt.

Hurlburt resigned in February amid a spending scandal triggered by Auditor General Jacques Lapointe's report on MLA expenses.

Lapointe found "excessive and unreasonable" claims, which he in part blamed on inadequate spending controls.

'Completely fictional'

J.C. Douglas, program director for Q104, said the station is not referring to the former MLA for Yarmouth.

"It's a completely fictional character that we're dealing with, our Richard, but any resemblance to real people, real-life situations, is completely, completely coincidence," he said Tuesday.

Chris d'Entremont, MLA for Argyle, said it was a direct attack on his former caucus colleague, Hurlburt.

"It's bad taste all around and I can say if I was one of the sponsors that I'd be pulling out quite quickly," he said Tuesday.

The Canadian Automobile Association had been sponsoring the trip to Cuba, but pulled out after the controversy broke Tuesday.

"To anyone listening, it is poking fun directly at that person and where it gets personal like that, that's where we have grave concerns," said CAA spokesman Gary Howard.

Q104 said it will pay for the trip itself and keep the contest going.