OTTAWA – The Harper Conservatives continue to put partisan priorities ahead of the public interest, as Liberal MPs revealed today that local property taxpayers are being forced to pay a share of the estimated $45 million price tag for unnecessary Economic Action Plan vanity billboards.

“Instead of focusing on priorities like public health, the Conservatives are forcing provinces and municipalities to pay for flooding the country with giant partisan billboards,” said Liberal House Leader Ralph Goodale. “With no help from Ottawa, local governments are grappling with challenges like H1N1 under tight budgets. Yet the Harper government requires them to spend property taxes on boosting the image of the Conservative Party of Canada.”
 
Schedule “G” and other provisions contained in contribution agreements for the Infrastructure Stimulus Fund in Ontario reveal that municipalities are required to produce, erect and pay for Economic Action Plan signs at each project site – costing as much as $4,250 a piece.

Up to $45 million in signage costs are not included in the estimated $100 million already being spent on self-congratulatory advertising, while only $8.5 million has been committed to H1N1 information. 

“Every time Canadians see one of these signs – 2,500 installed, with 4,000 more on order – they should think how their tax dollars are being abused to cover up a failed job creation program that has largely failed to break ground,” said Liberal Infrastructure Critic Gerard Kennedy. “The government is promoting itself at the expense of Canadians who need work.”

Mr. Kennedy noted that the federal government is taking exclusive credit while other levels of government pay two-thirds of the cost of the signage and the projects themselves, while burying the wasted millions deep in the details of contribution agreements. 
 
Also uncovered today was the Economic Action Plan style guide, which shows how separate signage promoting only the federal government must be erected — at a significant additional cost to all levels of government.  Traditionally only one sign would be put on display with all three levels of government equally represented.

“At no additional cost, the Harper government could simply place Canada’s name alongside the province and the municipality on a single sign containing detailed project information,” said Liberal MP Marcel Proulx. “If the Conservatives want to spend money promoting their own interests over the needs of Canadians, they shouldn’t waste municipal, provincial or federal government resources to do it.”

Background:

Schedule “G” Communications Requirements, from the Infrastructure Stimulus Fund Contribution Agreement (English only)
http://www.liberal.ca/pdf/docs/041109scheduleg.pdf

Economic Action Plan style guide
http://www.liberal.ca/pdf/docs/041109gde_eapsignage_e.pdf

Photo of Economic Action Plan signage
http://www.liberal.ca/images/pages/press/041109partisansign.jpg