Canada: Stephen Harper government buying ads to promote job grant program that doesn’t exist

OTTAWA—The Harper government is spending hundreds of thousands of dollars advertising a program that does not yet exist.

Prime-time ads began airing this week during NHL playoff games — currently the priciest advertising real estate on the dial — that tout a new federal Canada Jobs Grant for training workers.

The trouble is, the freshly announced program is at present little more than a concept that has yet to be negotiated with provincial governments, and requires buy-in from employers as well.

Peter Van Loan, the Conservative government House leader, described the Canada Jobs Grant last week as a “proposal that needs to be fleshed out and developed fully.” ....................(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2013/05/19/stephen_harper_government_buying_ads_to_promote_job_grant_program_that_doesnt_exist.html