Tory publicity arm criticized over video
The Progressive Conservatives “crossed a line” by having Ontario’s chief medical officer — a senior civil servant — appear in a TV news-style video by the governing party’s partisan publicity arm, critics charge.
Dr. David Williams was in an item about the importance of getting a flu shot posted online Monday by the taxpayer-funded PC caucus “Ontario News Now” social media operation that follows Premier Doug Ford and cabinet ministers to events. While Government House Leader Todd Smith argued the content amounted to a harmless public service announcement and accused rival parties of playing “political games,” opposition MPPs said Thursday the doctor’s appearance sets a potentially dangerous precedent jeopardizing the neutrality of the civil service.
“They crossed a line when they asked a public servant to appear on partisan advertising,” said interim Liberal leader John Fraser.
“What’s next? ‘We want you to say this?’ ” Fraser added. “When they ask a public servant (to appear), does the public servant feel obligated to do that because they have new masters? It puts them in a very awkward position.”
Williams did not reply to a request for comment from the Star but the Ministry of Health issued a statement saying “the government is committed to using every communications tool available” to promote flu shots. New Democrat MPP Sara Singh said government public service announcements should be made through official channels, not through the PC party’s publicity wing in a way that is “blurring the lines” between partisan politics and the civil service.