Tories' economic action ads cost $26M
The Canadian Press
Posted: Mar 13, 2011 2:12 PM ET
Last Updated: Mar 13, 2011 2:12 PM ET
The Conservative government's big Economic Action Plan ad campaign is costing taxpayers $26 million — for three months.
A marketing specialist says the federal outlay is more cash than a big advertiser like Procter and Gamble would spend in a year in Canada.
The massive TV and radio buy is shared among three federal departments for slick ads that began airing Jan. 11 and wrap up by March 31.
All the ads link to the Economic Action Plan website, which has drawn the ire of critics across the political spectrum for its partisan tenor.
The current run of television ads is also coming under fire — in particular a Finance Department spot that features actors singing the praises of the government's budget plan.
Human Resources and Social Development Canada has budgeted $14.5 million on three separate ads.
The Canada Revenue Agency is shelling out $6.5 million and Finance is spending $5 million.
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