Government advertising made “in the interest of Quebec,” according to Arcand

Photo Simon Clark
The president of the treasury Board, Pierre Arcand

Marc-André Gagnon

Tuesday, 13 march 2018 17:48

UPDATE
Tuesday, 13 march 2018 17:51

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The president of the treasury Board, Pierre Arcand, ensures that it is “in the interest of Quebec,” that his government is spending millions of dollars in advertising under the theme “Together, we move Quebec”.

Since 2014, the government Couillard has spent more than$ 12 Million in government advertising that are more similar to party propaganda, believes the Coalition avenir Québec, on the basis of calculations made following a request for access to information.

This amount represents approximately 20 % of all expenditures made by the departments in advertising and promotion, which totaled more than$ 63 Million over the same period.

The expenditure made by the government Couillard to promote its budget, the plan nord and maritime strategy to have been sprinkled through the ministries of Finance, Education, Health, the Economy and Immigration, in particular.

“At the dawn of the next election, spending on partisan advertising from the government increased dramatically,” said in the room the member caquiste Eric Cairo.

“Outrageous”, says the QCA

While the expenses incurred in the promotion of the economic Plan amounted to only 200 000 $, in 2014-2015, they have climbed to$ 5 Million only for the last nine months of the year 2017, reported Mr. Cairo.

“The only word that comes to mind, […] it is scandalous,” said The member for la Peltrie. Is it that the president of the treasury Board is going to put an end to this orgy of spending, advertising-partisan?”

“We have had important debates of the society during the past year,” said the president of the treasury Board.

The advertisements targeted by the CAQ have focused not only on the economic plan of the Québec, but also on job creation, the promotion of the French language, the positive contribution of immigration and the fight against violence, ” said Mr. Arcand.

The DGE arrested

The chief caquiste François Legault, who denounces these expenses for several months already, has recently communicated with the Director general of elections of Quebec in summoning him to act.

“We already have his answer, said Mr. Legault. Unfortunately, he says that he is going to watch it then it may be we come back with a decision in the next elections.”

“Is we going to (have to) live (with) millions and millions of advertisements of the liberal government during the six months that remain, raised the head of the CAQ. The budget is coming up… Is it going to take the opportunity to put even more millions to convince people that the liberal Party is so good in Quebec?”