Advertising backlash! Ontario’s back-to-school ads draws criticism

BY PAUL JUNOR

In the midst of mounting opposition to its back-to-school plan, the Ontario government launched an advertising campaign to inform parents.

They have been broadcasting in English and French, on radio spots and in print advertisements. These ads have been running regularly since they were launched to ensure that the public is fully informed about its school reopening plans, which the government claims is based on health and safety as a priority.

One of the advertisements reads, “To keep everyone safe, steps are being taken to maintain physical distancing through: the use of social groupings, lunch in classrooms, and anointed interaction among students and staff.” The Ontario government in response to criticism of lack of consolation on its plan has an ad specifically geared to these critics.

It states,”That’s why the Ontario government asked: doctors, health officials, school boards and educators to help build a comprehensive plan to keep our kids safe. Working together, our plan includes physical distancing, putting more nurses in schools, enhancing cleaning and hand sanitation and measures to ensure the wellbeing of students and school staff.”

There have been oppositions to these PC-government campaign ads. Andrea Horvath, NDP leader in a statement wrote, “Premier Ford is doling out a secret amount of public money in a wasteful propaganda to promote his crowded classroom schemes.”

She goes on further, “Ford should be listening to and responding to the legitimate fears of parents, teachers, education workers, and health experts. Instead, he’s gas lighting them with ads promoting a bargain basement scheme. Every dime spent on these partisan degrading ads should be spent on a safe September.”

She is not happy with the amount of money, which is being spent on these ads. She states, “I don’t know how Mr Ford thinks he can advertise his way out of this, but it’s certainly a shameful lack of priorities. The priorities should be on making our kids safe, not advertising,” (Global News on Tuesday, August 25th, 2020).

Liberal leader Steven Del Duca commented that since being released on Friday, August 22nd, 2020, the ads have aired over 500 times. He observes, “Ford’s ads were cooked up by the same team that ordered propaganda stickers to be added to gas pumps across Ontario, and who spend millions of dollars to produce illegible blue license plates.”

He adds, “It’s typical of Doug Ford. Rather than investing so that our students and education workers can safely get back to the classroom, he’s spending tax-payer money to mislead Ontarians.”

Premier Doug Ford responded to critics of the advertising campaigns in his press conference on Tuesday, August 25th, 2020 by stating, “Imagine if we didn’t have any ads and nobody knew what was going on? That would be terrible I think it’s critical that we inform the people, and we inform the parents. I think it is a non-brainer. It’d be terrible if we didn’t run ads. Running ads is the right thing to do, we’re going to continue running ads.”

The questions raised by many about the political motivations behind the advertising campaigns are valid. The PC-government believes that they are needed to win the public regarding their school reopening plan that has been heavily criticized.

Anyone interested can see it at Ontario.ca/Reopening Schools.