Provincial auditor general Bonnie Lysyk is giving a thumbs-down to Premier Doug Ford’s new taxpayer-funded TV commercial that attacks the federal government’s carbon-pricing measures.The fiscal watchdog’s office said Monday the ad “would not have passed the auditor general’s review under the former version of the Government Advertising Act because it doesn’t include all the relevant facts.”Furthermore, “it criticizes another level of government while putting the Ontario government in a positive light,” said Christine Pedias, Lysyk’s director of corporate communications and government advertising review.Until former premier Kathleen Wynne loosened the legislation four years ago, the auditor general had a veto over government advertising for factual accuracy, context and tone, to determine whether it was politically partisan.While the Progressive Conservatives promised in opposition to beef-up the law by reinstating those powers, they have done little on that front since taking power last June.“There have been no updates,” said Pedias.“Last we heard was the response the government gave to our recommendation that the previous version of the act be restored in our 2018 annual report. The response was: ‘The government will endeavour to explore options for the review of government advertising ...’” she added.Lysyk, who frequently sparred with the previous Liberal government, said in her December report that “the previous version of the Government Advertising Act, 2004 as it appeared on June 3, 2015, (should) be reinstated.”Ford’s 30-second ad, unveiled Monday, is the latest salvo in his $30-million campaign against Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s carbon-pricing scheme.It shows nickels pouring out of a gasoline nozzle, heating vents and supermarket shelves.“You’re paying a nickel more per litre,” a female narrator says as a woman fil ...
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