Liberals slam government, PC party ads with parallel messages

The Higgs government is being criticized for producing a taxpayer-funded government video with similar messaging to a new Progressive Conservative pre-election advertisement.

The video, nearly six minutes long, is a detailed explanation of the government's approach to health care reform and lists several initiatives it has taken to reduce surgery wait-times and improve access to primary care.

But it also blames the challenges in the health system on the province's dire fiscal situation before the PCs took office —a fiscal situation that also gets heavy play in the new Tory ad.

"Several years ago our province experienced a financial crisis," says the government video, distributed on its social media platforms.

"The headlines read New Brunswick was on the brink of collapse. Our economy was among the worst performing in Canada."

A nearly six-minute video about health care was posted to the Government of New Brunswick account on X, formerly Twitter. Another video with the same image of a Globe and Mail headline was also posted to a PC party account. (Government of New Brunswick/X)

The video includes an image of a Globe and Mail headline from Sept. 17, 2018, "New Brunswick is in a death spiral."

The 30-second PC video, which attacks Liberal Leader Susan Holt, also includes an image of the same 2018 Globe and Mail headline, though in a different format.

"She was part of the Liberal government that got us into a debt crisis," the voiceover intones.

In the legislature, Holt denounced the government for using public funds on the health care video and its messaging that is parallel to the partisan ad.

Holt suggested both videos were the handiwork of Steve Outhouse, a consultant hired as the PC campaign manager who is also working in the premier's office as Higgs's principal secretary, a taxpayer-funded position.

"The same person is doing the editing," she said.

Another video with the same Globe and Mail story was posted to the the Progressive Conservative Party of New Brunswick's YouTube page. (Progressive Conservative Party of New Brunswick/YouTube)

Premier Blaine Higgs did not respond to the suggestion Outhouse crafted both videos.

"We have a premier that won't even deny that he used political staff and taxpayer dollars to put out campaign material under the government of New Brunswick's brand," Holt said.

"That is completely irresponsible and inappropriate to start campaigning using taxpayer dollars."

The next provincial election is scheduled for Oct. 21.

Higgs told reporters he didn't know whether visuals from the government health-care video might show up in campaign advertising, but he said his party would follow all election rules.

The anti-Holt video, and a second PC video featuring Higgs driving a motorcycle while his voiceover promotes his record, were released Thursday.

A fundraising email to party members included links to the video and a request for donations to get them into wider circulation.

Holt suggested that both videos were edited by Steve Outhouse, shown in the Legislature on the right recently. Outhouse currently is Higgs's campaign manager but also has a taxpayer-funded job in the premier's office. (Radio-Canada)

In the legislature, Higgs said Holt was angry that he has a positive record to cite in his bid for re-election.

"I know the truth hurts, doesn't it?"

He also suggested that the government needed to promote its record more actively because fewer voters are reading news coverage in detail and don't hear about its accomplishments.

"We've been not as outgoing, I guess, in terms of telling our story as we should be, because we're very proud of what's been accomplished by our government," he said.

Holt said with several lawsuits against the government and record numbers of people without primary care and without a place to live, the advertising doesn't tell the whole story.

Outhouse's role of principal secretary is a political position, which means that unlike regular civil servants on the government payroll, he's allowed to engage in partisan political activity.

"It is a political role," Higgs said. "It always has been."

But it's unusual for a campaign consultant hired by a political party in power to double up with a government job, even a political one, at the same time.

Outhouse's contract with the premier's office, which was revealed last month, runs until the election in October and is worth up to $124,656.

He said last month he would keep the government role and the campaign role separate, with PC campaign preparation outside his premier's office hours.

Holt was not convinced.

"It stinks like an outhouse," she said.