The Wildrose Party is going red with how much green the NDP is spending on its climate change campaign.
As the carbon tax comes into effect on January 1, the government will pay $4.5 million dollars on an advertising campaign that will run until the end of March 2017.
In a statement, the NDP says the campaign provides information not previously available about grants, market access, federal actions and rural impacts, but the $4.5 million is on top of an earlier promotion campaign.
“The Climate Leadership Plan is the province’s most significant policy response in decades and will affect all Albertans. Albertans have been asking about what the plan means to them. Therefore government is undertaking a $4.5 million advertising campaign, running until the end of March, that will contain new information not previously available including energy efficiency grants, market access, federal actions and rural impacts.
Government is committed to spending responsibly and getting the best possible results for every tax dollar, including advertising. New radio ads began on Monday with TV ads beginning today. This advertising will ensure that the campaign reaches a majority of Albertans.”
Wildrose leader Brian Jean said on Twitter the NDP should be ashamed of themselves.
NDP spending $9 million on carbon tax ads, telling them to make better choices. They should be ashamed. https://t.co/EAKCP6MVz1 #ableg
— Brian Jean (@BrianJeanAB) December 7, 2016
Mount Royal University political scientist Duane Bratt says the opposition is more upset about the tax itself than the money being spent.
“Wildrose just hates the whole concept,” Bratt said. “It doesn’t matter what it is. If they spent five dollars, it’s too much money for them.”
Objectively, Bratt says people are always suspicious of government advertising.
