December 19th, 2014
The big blue propaganda machine
The NDP is denouncing the Conservatives for their use of tax payer money to finance a propaganda machine and mislead Canadians.
“This big blue propaganda machine is scandalous,” said NDP Ethics critic Charlie Angus (Timmins—James Bay). “This government has no problem misleading Canadians by publishing content that looks like news, but cutting access to information for journalists in Canada,”
According to media reports, the Conservatives will spend $1.25 million to publish pre-packaged newspaper stories. The so-called News Canada agency even offers journalists with chances to win $500 Via Rail Vouchers if their media outlet used Conservative-approved articles.
“More than ever, we need transparent and independent oversight of government advertising,” said Angus. “Let’s not forget that over the past five years, they already spent half a billion dollars of our money in ads.”