VICTORIA: The BC division of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) today wrote Premier Gordon Campbell to press for a "no subsidy zone" for any side in the debate over next year's treaty referendum. The CTF also argued that no tax dollars should be spent assisting lobby groups on either side of the debate -either the First Nations Summit or the BC Fisheries Survival Coalition or anyone else. The First Nations Summit has requested taxpayer dollars for a "public education process," a term that CTF considers to be advertising under another name.

"No side in the upcoming referendum debate should have access to taxpayer funding - not the First Nations Summit, not the BC Fisheries Survival Coalition, and not the government which should also refrain from advertising," wrote CTF-BC director Mark Milke in an open letter to Premier Gordon Campbell.

"With respect, you and many members of your caucus were critical of both superfluous government advertising, and of the former government's advertising on the Nisga'a treaty. Insofar as it concerns any debate over either the planned referendum on treaties or treaty issues in specific, there must be a 'no subsidy zone.' Various groups must make their case on a level playing field without taxpayer subsidies.

"Advocacy groups ought not to receive tax dollars from government. Potentially, such dollars fund viewpoints opposite that of at least some of the taxpayers who must fund such advertising. And labeling it a "public education process" is disingenuous and an insult to those who think words should be used to facilitate clear communication, not muddy the waters. The public can arrive at its own conclusions."

"To fund any side would be an imitation of the past government's conduct on such issues; I sincerely hope their wasteful and unfair approach will not be duplicated by your government."


Past comments from the Premier and his party on taxpayer-funded advertising:

Gordon Campbell on NDP $60,000 Nanoose ads in June 1999:

"It simply makes no sense to have the government run its own advertising campaign every time they feel like it. People are tired of this NDP government wasting their money." Vancouver Sun, June 8, 1999

Gordon Campbell on using taxpayers' money for political purposes, March 1996:

"The public is offended no matter who is spending precious tax dollars for political purposes and a BC Liberal government will put an end to this flagrant abuse of taxpayers' money." Liberal news release, March 20, 1996

Mike DeJong on tax dollars for the Nisga'a advertising campaign, July 8, 1999:

"First of all, the Premier better have a chat with his Aboriginal Affairs minister, because he disagrees with him about the need for additional advertising. At least, that's the assurance we got from the present Minister of Aboriginal Affairs -- advertising of the sort he's saying. The assurance he gave us in his estimates was that that wouldn't be required. The Premier apparently has a directly contrary view, and maybe they would get together and we can have that inconsistency clarified. Secondly, I just want to make sure I understand this correctly. The government felt compelled to triple the budget - quietly triple a $2.3 million advertising budget -- because a newspaper editor took a contrary view to the government's on a particular piece of public policy. Is that the size of it Is that what drives provincial government policy and expenditure " Hansard, July 8, 1999

Rick Thorpe on taxpayer funding for promotion of the Nisga'a treaty, April 1997

"This money should be going into health care and education. The citizens of Naramata, Peachland, Summerland and Penticton want their money spent on health care and education; they don't want it wasted on government propaganda advertising. That masquerade must stop." Hansard, April 10, 1997

Gordon Campbell on tax dollars for budget brochures in March 2001:

"NDP budget propaganda a waste of tax dollars, Campbell says" BC Liberal news release headline, March 30, 2001
"This misinformation campaign represents wasted tax dollars that could instead be going to reduce wait lists-"
BC Liberal news release headline, March 30, 2001

Gordon Campbell on government advertising and classroom advertising regarding the Nisga'a treaty in October 1998:

"It's bad enough that the NDP are blowing $2.5 million of taxpayers' money on their one-sided Nisga'a propaganda campaign and bending the facts about the deal. But it's utterly reprehensible that they now want to bend young minds with their lopsided dogma about the proposed treaty-.This is a shameless abuse of power that shows contempt for the education system and a total disregard for the thousands of British Columbians who have alternative perspectives and legitimate concerns about the proposed Nisga'a template." NDP's Nisga'a Propaganda Campaign Has No Place In BC Classrooms, Liberal news release, October 15, 1998

Gordon Campbell on NDP advertising over health care in December 2000:

"The NDP is currently flooding the television airwaves with taxpayer-funded propaganda ads, that are costing hundreds of thousands of dollars." NDP's Wasteful TV Campaign Hurts Patients, Liberal news release, December 15, 2000.