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It may be only a start in comparing the Harper Cons' bloated communication spending to the much smaller amounts of party funding being targeted for slashing. But it's nonetheless a plus to see both national opposition parties in Parliament pointing out the amount of money being spent on self-promotion by the Cons - and Pat Martin's explanation in particular looks to be worth highlighting:

Liberals are accusing the Conservatives of spending millions of Taxpayers' money on government ads to trick their way to a majority government.

"Mr. Harper is a cheat," Liberal House Leader David McGuinty told QMI Agency. "He is trying to take public money to cheat his way into a majority."

Liberals say the Tories are using unprecedented means - through government advertising, taxpayer-funded direct mail campaigns and extra spending on communications staff - to make Canadians forget the feds have posted a record setting $55.6 billion deficit.
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NDP MP Pat Martin said he believes the Tories are spending more because it is "a lot more expensive to peddle unpopular positions."

"In a period of fiscal restraint, when every government department is being asked to tighten their belt, the communications budget of the PMO is exploding," he said.

Even MPs, Martin notes, have had their budgets frozen.

"It's hypocritical and dishonest."