I notice that in the last year the estimate was $1.2 million and was reported as $11.2 million. We seem to be underestimating the actual cost to deliver these.
My second question is about advertising. It's a bit of a puzzle trying to figure out who exactly in the Government of Canada is responsible for advertising. The chart that Public Works and Government Services has provided helps somewhat. I noted in there that PCO is given a very clear mandate to provide oversight, chair the government advertising committee, secure approval for a government advertising plan, and recommend funding allocations.
Despite the reported 10% reduction to the PCO secretariat over three years, your report on plans and priorities at page 16 reports an increase of $1.4 million to supply a government-wide communications strategy for the economic action plan.
I would have to say that the feedback I'm getting from my constituents, on viewing the most recent ads, is that there doesn't appear to be a lot of content there.
The Gomery report, of course, which came out of a lot of concern about the spending of dollars for advertising and promotion, recommended that the government amend its definition of advertising, conform to accepted industry standards, and promulgate a new policy. Those recommendations were in response to the Auditor General's report in 2003, where calls were made for mandatory auditing of advertising spending, value-for-money evaluations of all advertising campaigns, and periodic audits by the Office of the Comptroller General and the Auditor General.
My question is this. Have any or all of these measures been instituted, and if so, can you provide us with the audit and the value for money for the War of 1812 ad campaign?