The Manitoba Government has rolled out an advertising campaign promoting its 2013 Budget.
It includes a taxpayer-funded 30 second television spot. The narrator begins the commercial by saying “Manitoba has changed a lot over the last decade. From better hospitals to new schools and world class attractions” including an image of Canadian Museum for Human Rights.
The male voice goes on to say, “Budget 2013 is focused on what matters most to families, like better health care, more opportunities, and strong infrastructure to protect families and businesses.”.
NDP Premier Greg Selinger defended the ads Wednesday.
“It’s important that people know that we’ve listened to them. That we’ve identified in our budget things that they told us were important.” said Selinger.
The ad campaign does not make mention of the proposed Provincial Sales Tax increase contained in April’s Provincial Budget.The tax will rise to 8% from 7% on July 1st.
“Really in a sense it’s misleading advertising. They’re asking you to pay for it with higher taxes but they don’t tell you that their raising your taxes in the ads themselves,” said Manitoba Opposition Leader Brian Pallister.
The TV ad makes use flood imagery, something that’s become a common theme almost any time the NDP has defended it’s spending since the Budget came down last month.
“I think this a potential Achilles heel for the NDP and the fact they’ve spent some money trying to shore up how they’re responding to it is interesting,” said Shannon Sampert, Political Science Professor at the University of Winnipeg, who said the ads are a classic example of basic government branding.
“The ads aren’t surprising. They’re not over the top.”
According to the Manitoba Government, the total production costs for 2013 budget advertising is estimated at $235,000. Of that, $160,000 is ear-marked for advertising. Premier Selinger called it a “modest amount” and said his government’s budget advertising amount has remained flat since 1999.
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