Facebook makes it easy to run illegal and ‘Astroturf’ ads, say Canadian digital political strategists
Anonymous and illegal political ad campaigns are probably already running in Canada, thanks in part to Facebook and other online advertising platforms that make it easy to skirt laws around political advertising, say political digital marketing specialists. “If you want to influence around the rules, it’s pretty straightforward to do so,” said Stephen Carter, a […]
“The federal government is reportedly considering changes to digital political advertising rules. What should be done?”
Cameron Ahmad Liberal strategist “Ensuring Canada has tough election financing laws is one way to improve, strengthen, and protect our democratic institutions. Our government is reviewing the limits on the amounts political parties and third parties can spend during elections, and proposing new measures to ensure that spending between elections is subject to reasonable limits […]
Bill to ban unhealthy food ads for kids clears Senate, House sponsor sought
With her bill having passed the Senate last week, Conservative Senator Nancy Greene Raine is now casting about for an MP in the House to champion her legislation banning the advertising of unhealthy food and drinks to children under the age of 17. Bill S-228, the Child Health Protection Act, seeks to change the Food […]
Gender pay gap due to sexism, not women’s poor negotiating skills
OTTAWA—The creative Secret deodorant message is intended to portray a young woman who is standing up for her right to equal pay. Instead, it reinforces the message that the indefensible pay gap between young women and men is the result of poor female negotiating skills. Just last week, the University of Waterloo announced a half-measured […]
Government’s non-partisan ad and communications policy met by cries of partisanship, confusion
The federal government’s new policy on partisan-free advertising and communications unveiled last Thursday, which is intended to provide “clearer and simplified guidance to officials on the conduct of government communications activities,” resulted in miscommunication and confusion within 24 hours of its release. Though the policy is intended to prevent partisan government advertising, it’s not clear […]
Corrections
A caption on page 9 in last week’s issue of The Hill Times incorrectly stated Prime Minister Paul Martin and his wife Sheila bought their Christmas wreath in the ByWard Market. The Prime Minister bought the $240 wreath at Tivoli Florist in Westboro, where Liberal candidate Richard Mahoney was campaigning. * In last week’s Heard […]
Liberals ‘fighting for their lives’ in Ontario
Liberals say many disenchanted fellow Liberals are sitting on the sidelines in Campaign 2006. Liberals are “fighting for their lives,” are trying to stop the Conservatives’ surge in popularity, but can’t afford to give up and are trying desperately to hold onto their strongholds in Ontario in this last dramatic week of the 54-day election […]
Not a great week for Grits
Last week wasn’t a great one for the Liberal Party’s spin doctors doing their thing for the campaign on the airwaves. Liberal Party strategist John Duffy, who often looks angry, uptight and condescending, was accused of intimidating CTV NewsNet’s Mike Duffy, by Countdown’s Mike Duffy, himself, in a bizarre and a little over-the-top on-air exchange. […]
Electoral battle in Trinity-Spadina one of fiercest in Toronto: Longtime rivals square off as NDP candidate Olivia Chow hopes third time is the charm
TORONTO, ONT. – There’s another rematch in the works in Trinity-Spadina that could turn out to be one of the fiercest battles in Canada’s largest city. Four-term Liberal incumbent Tony Ianno will be squaring off once again against longtime Toronto city councillor Olivia Chow, who stepped down to campaign. The two rivals have gone head […]
Who’d be in a Tory PMO and Cabinet?
War room chief Doug Finley warns Conservative staffers to keep their lips zippered on a Conservative Cabinet and PMO. Conservatives, who are looking at winning the next election after 13 years out of power, are keeping tight-lipped about who would be the top political players in the next Prime Minister’s Office or named into a […]
