Article content

Keeping a tight lid on spending is “the foundation” of Premier Christy Clark’s approach to governing, or at least that’s what her new election commercial says.

But the TV ad somehow fails to mention the near $1 million that Clark’s government has spent on photography services since she became premier.

We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

tap here to see other videos from our team. Try refreshing your browser, or Mike Smyth: Premier Clark has spent nearly $1 million on photography Back to video

Yes, photography: $923,374 to be precise, for the salaries and massive travel expenses of two full-time photographers to take still photos and videos for the government.

The pictures and videos provide positive content for the government’s social-media channels on YouTube, Facebook and Twitter.

Photo by Twitter

It included $5,413 to send a photographer to Paris last November to take pictures and videos of the premier at a UN climate-change conference.

Let’s break down some of these numbers:

Since Clark became premier in 2011, the government has spent more than $3,500 a week on social-media photos and videos. That’s more than $500 a day, every day, for the past five years.