A Privy Council memo suggested the CBC should be mandated to broadcast government messaging during a “national crisis,” according to an Access to Information request..According to Blacklock’s Reporter, this proposal came after cabinet aides expressed frustration over having to purchase advertising space during the pandemic..“In the past, services such as producing and broadcasting public service announcements in times of national crisis were covered under previous agreements with CBC/Radio-Canada,” said the report The Way Forward: Lessons Learned. .“Currently, the Government of Canada pays the CBC and Radio-Canada like any other media to air ads, but there could be new possibilities to create partnerships to respond to future crises.”.“Perhaps the Government of Canada could explore legislative amendments to the Quarantine Act to ensure that in the future federally-funded organizations like CBC/Radio-Canada support communications efforts during a national health crisis like the COVID-19 pandemic,” wrote staff. .“This could include partnerships and the provision of free placement.”.The redacted memo failed to provide specific legal language regarding the proposed “legislative amendment.” The Privy Council Office, in a separate report, expressed concerns about the growing mistrust among Canadians towards the federal government as the pandemic continued..“Trust in and use of government information sources was highest early on in the pandemic and has declined slowly since then,” said the report Applying Behavioural Science to the Government of Canada’s Response to COVID-19: COVID-19 Snapshot Monitoring..The “trust” report is dated May 12, 2021. During that time, the department of Health issued a contract notice to engage Twitter “influencers” to express “approval” for its management of the COVID-19 pandemic..The department in a March 24, 2021, notice Influencer Marketing Programs said Twitter celebrities would be paid by the hour to “build the department’s credibility” on the condition they not “tarnish Health Canada’s or the Government of Canada’s reputation.” Twitter friends were not required to disclose that they were paid to praise the health department..“Health Canada has hired social media influencers and minor celebrities to tout the great work it’s doing on Canada’s response to the pandemic,” then-Senator Linda Frum (ON) told Senate Question Period at the time. .“These government-paid influencers are not required to reveal they are government-paid influencers because that, of course, would be very embarrassing.”.The health department issued its contract notice for the Twitter campaign on March 24, 2021, just a day before the scheduled release of a federal audit. .The audit findings confirmed that managers were ill-prepared for the COVID-19 pandemic, despite the Public Health Agency's annual budget of $675 million..“The Agency was not as well prepared as it could have been,” said the audit Pandemic Preparedness, Surveillance and Border Control Measures.
A Privy Council memo suggested the CBC should be mandated to broadcast government messaging during a “national crisis,” according to an Access to Information request..According to Blacklock’s Reporter, this proposal came after cabinet aides expressed frustration over having to purchase advertising space during the pandemic..“In the past, services such as producing and broadcasting public service announcements in times of national crisis were covered under previous agreements with CBC/Radio-Canada,” said the report The Way Forward: Lessons Learned. .“Currently, the Government of Canada pays the CBC and Radio-Canada like any other media to air ads, but there could be new possibilities to create partnerships to respond to future crises.”.“Perhaps the Government of Canada could explore legislative amendments to the Quarantine Act to ensure that in the future federally-funded organizations like CBC/Radio-Canada support communications efforts during a national health crisis like the COVID-19 pandemic,” wrote staff. .“This could include partnerships and the provision of free placement.”.The redacted memo failed to provide specific legal language regarding the proposed “legislative amendment.” The Privy Council Office, in a separate report, expressed concerns about the growing mistrust among Canadians towards the federal government as the pandemic continued..“Trust in and use of government information sources was highest early on in the pandemic and has declined slowly since then,” said the report Applying Behavioural Science to the Government of Canada’s Response to COVID-19: COVID-19 Snapshot Monitoring..The “trust” report is dated May 12, 2021. During that time, the department of Health issued a contract notice to engage Twitter “influencers” to express “approval” for its management of the COVID-19 pandemic..The department in a March 24, 2021, notice Influencer Marketing Programs said Twitter celebrities would be paid by the hour to “build the department’s credibility” on the condition they not “tarnish Health Canada’s or the Government of Canada’s reputation.” Twitter friends were not required to disclose that they were paid to praise the health department..“Health Canada has hired social media influencers and minor celebrities to tout the great work it’s doing on Canada’s response to the pandemic,” then-Senator Linda Frum (ON) told Senate Question Period at the time. .“These government-paid influencers are not required to reveal they are government-paid influencers because that, of course, would be very embarrassing.”.The health department issued its contract notice for the Twitter campaign on March 24, 2021, just a day before the scheduled release of a federal audit. .The audit findings confirmed that managers were ill-prepared for the COVID-19 pandemic, despite the Public Health Agency's annual budget of $675 million..“The Agency was not as well prepared as it could have been,” said the audit Pandemic Preparedness, Surveillance and Border Control Measures.
