EDMONTON, AB: Premier Rachel Notley has already spent almost three times as much taxpayer money on political advertising campaigns as former Premier Alison Redford did throughout her entire tenure, the Wildrose Official Opposition said.
Since becoming premier, Notley has signed off on $10.5 million in direct, political advertising to try and sell her government’s risky carbon tax, disastrous budgets and frivolous PPA lawsuits. Redford, by comparison, spent $4 million between 2011 and 2014 on advertisements promoting the “Building Alberta” campaign, and the 2012, 2013 and 2014 budgets.
“This isn’t just more of the same bad behaviour in government we’re used to; this is three times worse,” Wildrose Leader Brian Jean said. “Albertans have had enough of this kind of waste and excess in government, especially considering the NDP promised to do things differently. At a time when over 100,000 people have lost work, this government needs to come to its senses and learn some respect for Albertans’ hard-earned dollars.”
Wildrose Shadow Finance Minister Derek Fildebrandt said Wildrose will hold the NDP to account for this egregious misuse of public dollars.
“The NDP used to oppose the Redford government’s blatant misuse of taxpayer dollars for partisan purposes, but they themselves have now far surpassed Redford’s crass, political tactics,” Fildebrandt said. “The NDP knows Albertans do not accept their carbon tax, so they’re trying to force feed it down our throats.”