OTTAWA—The Conservative government spent $69 million on advertising campaigns in 2012, bring Ottawa’s five-year total to more than $473 million.

The campaigns ranged from $14.8 million spent on advertising measures contained within the budget, to $3.1 million explaining Conservative cuts to Old Age Security, and $8.2 million informing Canadians about the importance of natural resources to the country’s economic fortune.

The ubiquitous War of 1812 commemorations came in at a modest $4.1 million, including television, Internet and movie theatre ads.

Overall spending on advertising in 2012-2013 decreased by about 12 per cent compared to a year earlier, according to the annual advertising report released by the Department of Public Works Friday.

“Through careful planning and efficient media buying strategies, the government sustained its communications with Canadians throughout the year,” the report begins.

“The government secured prime advertising space at preferential rates, including spots in high visibility programs like the Canadian broadcasts of the London 2012 Summer Olympic Games, by leveraging the advertising budgets of multiple departments and buying early when rates are low.”

The government appears to be increasingly preoccupied with television advertising, spending $33 million that year. TV ads more than doubled their share of the government’s overall ad buys over the past five years, from 31.4 per cent to 60.1 per cent.

Internet advertising is the next most popular, coming in at $10.9 million, almost 20 per cent of the advertising buy.

Opposition parties have long bemoaned the Conservatives’ spending on advertising, targeting the government’s Economic Action Plan campaigns for special derision.

NDP MP Pat Martin called for new oversight in government advertising to ensure public funds are spent on advertising services for Canadians only.

“There almost has to be an arm’s-length third party to judge when ruling parties cross the line,” Martin said Friday.

Liberal MP David McGuinty has also introduced private member’s legislation that would create a federal Advertising Commissioner to scrutinize government spending on ads.

Ottawa has spent approximately $644 million since the Conservatives took power in 2006.

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