[LabComm] NDP tables Bill banning government advertising during elections

[BC NDP NEWSWIRE]

VICTORIA -- The Opposition New Democrats today tabled a bill in the Legislature that would make it illegal for the government to use taxpayer funds on partisan political advertising during a general election or a by-election.

"Gordon Campbell promised not to spend tax dollars on partisan government ads during elections," said NDP MLA Joy MacPhail.  "But he's breaking his promise and spending millions of dollars during the Surrey-Panorama Ridge by-election trying to influence its outcome.  This bill would put a stop to Gordon Campbell's binge advertising spree."

MLA Jenny Kwan said she's heard from many British Columbians who are angry that the government is putting resources into ads at the same time waitlists are going through the roof.  According to the government's own reports, waitlists have grown by 31 per cent in the three years since the Liberals took office.  The number of British Columbians waiting for hip surgery alone has doubled since 2001.

"It costs taxpayers roughly $35,000 every time Gordon Campbell runs one of his ads on prime-time television.  That would pay for 12 surgeries at a BC hospital," said Kwan.  "It's time governments of all stripes ended the practice of taxpayer funded partisan ads.  This bill restricts partisan advertising during elections, but the NDP would go further and end the practice all-together."

The bill introduced by the NDP Opposition makes government advertising an offence during the campaign period of general election and by-election and comes with a fine of up to $5000 for the Premier of a government that commits the offence.  The standards by which government advertising will be governed will be established by a non-partisan committee.

"Government advertising is out of control.  It's time legislators put a stop to it.  This bill is an important step in that direction, and I hope that at least some government MLAs have the courage to support its passage into law," said MacPhail.

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Click <a href='http://www.bc.ndp.ca/upload/20041020140531_ElectionActAmendmentAct.pdf'>here</a> to read the Opposition Bill.

To view the full-page ads the government should be running if they were interested in telling British Columbians the truth about health care in BC, click <a href='http://www.bc.ndp.ca/upload/20041020112349_Bestplacetowait.pdf'>here</a>.

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