Evidence of meeting #94 for Government Operations and Estimates in the 42nd Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was campaigns.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Director General, Government Information Services Sector, Department of Public Works and Government Services
We spend very little on advertising outside Canada. In Washington, for instance, it is minimal. Most advertising is published in Canada in media directed to Canadians. Very little is spent abroad.
Conservative
Alupa Clarke Conservative Beauport—Limoilou, QC
Global Affairs Canada advises departments on their spending on advertising outside Canada. That is why I would like to know how much is spent.
Director General, Government Information Services Sector, Department of Public Works and Government Services
We can forward that information to you, but it is very little.
Director General, Government Information Services Sector, Department of Public Works and Government Services
Once again, let me remind you of the definition of advertising.
Director General, Government Information Services Sector, Department of Public Works and Government Services
We will provide you with the amounts that...
Conservative
Alupa Clarke Conservative Beauport—Limoilou, QC
I understand, but I am referring to real advertising.
Director General, Government Information Services Sector, Department of Public Works and Government Services
There is very little abroad. We will provide the figures to you.
Conservative
Alupa Clarke Conservative Beauport—Limoilou, QC
I would also like to know how much is spent for China.
Director General, Government Information Services Sector, Department of Public Works and Government Services
I have read newspaper articles that referred to posters or signs as “advertising”. If the sign is on the Canadian embassy, it is not advertising.
Conservative
Alupa Clarke Conservative Beauport—Limoilou, QC
I understand, sir, but that is not what I am referring to. I mean actual advertising, according to your definition.
Director General, Government Information Services Sector, Department of Public Works and Government Services
Perfect, we will send you the information.
Conservative
Alupa Clarke Conservative Beauport—Limoilou, QC
Thank you.
Do you also keep statistics on the results of advertising campaigns? How Canadians responded to such a campaign? To what extent did Canadians understand it, see it or digest it? Do you have targets? Do you have statistics on the results of advertising campaigns?
Director General, Government Information Services Sector, Department of Public Works and Government Services
All advertising campaigns valued at over $1 million have to be tested in advance and evaluated by an independent company, usually a public opinion research company. All the findings in these companies' reports are posted on the Library and Archives Canada website, as required by law and by Treasury Board policies.
Conservative
Alupa Clarke Conservative Beauport—Limoilou, QC
Good.
Are those public opinion research contracts included in the costs as such or are they additional costs?
Director General, Government Information Services Sector, Department of Public Works and Government Services
No, their cost is included in the cost of the advertising campaign that the department must incur and allow for from the outset.
Conservative
Alupa Clarke Conservative Beauport—Limoilou, QC
Very well.
Are there techniques or tools to maximize those costs for taxpayers, to ensure that advertising truly reaches out to the intended group so as to maximize the effectiveness of that spending?
Deputy Minister, Intergovernmental Affairs and Youth, Privy Council Office
Yes, there are. I think that is part of our coordination role. That means that two campaigns can be joined into one. Sometimes Health Canada supports Indigenous and Northern Affairs. They can take targeted action in a specific region in order to minimize costs.
In addition, we consider whether extending a campaign over more than a year would make it more effective, for instance in the case of a health campaign about drugs and the secondary effects on children. If we support departments over a longer period of time, perhaps they will not need as much money as a result of this guaranteed funding.
Deputy Minister, Intergovernmental Affairs and Youth, Privy Council Office
Yes, we can work with the departments in different ways.
Sometimes choices have to be made. For example, a campaign might be important, but we determine that it is not necessarily urgent for that fiscal year, so it is postponed to the next year and we run a different campaign instead.
Deputy Minister, Intergovernmental Affairs and Youth, Privy Council Office
Yes, exactly.
Conservative
Alupa Clarke Conservative Beauport—Limoilou, QC
Thank you.
Ms. Baird, my colleague from the NDP, asked a very good question about the Treasury Board Secretariat website. You referred to human error. I would like to point, Mr. Chair, what a paradox it is that changes to the site were made last night. We received our analysts' fine work yesterday or the day before. It seems that someone relayed that information to Treasury Board.
I wanted to mention that, Mr. Chair, before my next question.
What is the forecast spending for advertising campaigns in 2017-18?
Deputy Minister, Intergovernmental Affairs and Youth, Privy Council Office
I can answer that question.
We are currently forecasting about $40 million for 2017-18. We expect there will be from $25 million to $30 million for the central fund and the rest for departmental expenditures.
The expenditures will be based on this year's campaigns: learning, education, Canada 150 until the end of the year, and free admission to parks. So there are campaigns that will keep going this year.
There are also some new ones. At the departmental level, I know that a few campaigns will be launched in the coming weeks, including a Health Canada strategy against fentanyl.