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Crown bank silent on election ad ban compliance

Western Standard News Services

A federal Crown bank has refused to answer questions about whether it continued airing television and YouTube advertisements during the general election campaign, despite a government policy prohibiting taxpayer-funded promotions during the writ period.

Blacklock's Reporter says the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC), one of Ottawa’s biggest advertisers, did not respond to multiple inquiries regarding its adherence to the ad ban.

The bank spent $26.8 million last year on advertising and promotional campaigns portraying itself as business-friendly, according to its most recent Annual Report to Parliament.

The Treasury Board implemented the advertising ban on March 27, citing the need for political neutrality.

“The public service continues to serve Canadians and carry out routine operations but it does so in an objective and non-partisan manner,” stated its directive, Communications During An Election.

“During this period, it is especially important to avoid anything that could call into question the political impartiality of the public service or the appropriate use of public resources,” the directive continued.

The policy forbids promotional advertising during an election but allows for job postings, weather alerts, and legal notices.

A recent Inquiry Of Ministry tabled in the Commons identified BDC as the largest federal advertiser on CBC.

From 2019 to 2023, the bank spent $4.9 million on CBC ads — triple the amount spent by the Department of Health ($1.6 million), VIA Rail ($1.3 million), or another Crown bank, Farm Credit Canada ($1.2 million).

The spending figures were disclosed in response to a request from Conservative MP Tracy Gray (Kelowna-Lake Country, B.C.), who asked how much government agencies had spent on CBC advertising.

BDC has previously justified its promotional spending, launching a rebranding effort in 2016 to raise awareness of its services. The bank, formerly the Industrial Development Bank, has operated since 1944.

Access To Information records show BDC spent $6.4 million on a rebranding campaign, including $985,000 in newspaper ads and $20,750 for in-game advertising at Ottawa Senators home games.

At the time, Michel Bergeron, then a senior vice president, acknowledged public awareness remained low.

“I’d say we still have some challenges,” he said. “The level of awareness is pretty small. There are still a lot of start-ups that are not aware of BDC.”