For Canadians the return of new primetime TV this fall means more than new episodes of the Big Bang Theory and Amazing Race.  It also means being treated to an exhaustive barrage of taxpayer-funded ads from the Government of Canada.

That’s not to say the government only advertises on TV, far from it.  But high cost advertising space on these shows seem to be favourite ad spots for MP Bob Zimmer and the Conservatives.

Ever taken the time to wonder just how much taxpayers like you pay for those ads?

To give you an idea, two years ago the Government of Canada’s total advertising budget was bigger than the entire Canadian beer industry combined. We’re not talking small change here.

And remember, because the federal government has been running large deficits since 2008, all of that ad money is borrowed.  After borrowing $416 million dollars to pay for government ads over the last five years, taxpayers are now paying about $23,000 per day just to cover the interest costs, even with historically low interest rates.

So when you see the next ad ask yourself, ‘Do I feel like I got my money’s worth from that?’ If you feel ripped off, make sure you let Mr. Zimmer know.

John McCallum, MP

Liberal Party of Canada Treasury Board Critic