A few days later, CanWest reported that the targeting of
the FoS radio ad campaign to key Ontario ridings was directed by then FoS media contact Morten Paulsen (later a vice-president at Fleishman - Hillard), who also served as volunteer spokesperson for the Stephen Harper led Conservative Party of Canada during the election.
As noted above, the first
FoS radio ad campaign (described in detail at SourceWatch) was clearly intended to influence the 2006 Canadian federal election outcome.
Not exact matches
The
FoS home page goes on to confirm that the
ads were currently playing in Ontario, and to ask for donations to support expansion of the
ad campaign: «Friends of Science
radio ads currently playing across Ontario can be heard here and here [see
ad links above].
[22] According to a CanWest News report by Mike de Souza, Paulsen apparently managed the
FoS anti-Kyoto
radio ad campaign during that election, while simultaneously serving as volunteer spokesperson for the Conservative Party.
On September 23, 2008, CanWest reported that Elections Canada had finished its investigation into the
radio ad campaign and would not press charges against
FoS for failing to register as a third - party election advertiser.
On September 23, 2008, CanWest reported that Elections Canada had completed a preliminary assessment into the 2006 Ontario
radio ad campaign and would not press charges against
FoS for failing to register as a third - party election advertiser.
The
FoS home page also featured the message: «If you've heard our
radio ads, thanks for visiting!
In 2006, the
FoS website newsection made the following statement (later removed): «Large projects - such as our video and
radio ads - are funded through grants out of a University of Calgary Trust Fund, directed towards debate of climate science and which is also fed by the charitable Calgary Foundation.»
Many listeners perceived the
radio ads as having a political, anti-Kyoto message, according to
FoS presidenat Douglas Leahey: «The response was intense.
I did a post on
FoS back in July that mentioned this upcoming
radio ad.