30-second ads playing in movie theatres across the province
By CBC News
A 30-second commercial running in theatres that pokes fun at what Alberta charges oil companies for royalties contains a serious message, says the ad's creator."We are trying to use humour to start a conversation about how do we pay for our public services," said Gil McGowan, president of the the Alberta Federation of Labour. "In a province as wealthy as Alberta, why the heck do we have a deficit in the first place?"The ad was launched by Better Way Alberta — a coalition including Public Interest Alberta and the AFL — in response to the latest provincial budget cuts.In the $180,000 production, a smug billionaire thanks the province for giving him such a good deal on taxes and royalties all the while underfunding healthcare and education "so I can make even more millions."McGowan said the group wanted the ads to be cheeky and entertaining.It's part of the reason the producers gave the character a Transylvanian accent."We didn't want to pick on anyone so we settled on an accent that sounded like someone from Transylvania," said McGowan. "Because frankly we feel that these oil companies — no matter where they're from — are sucking the blood out of the Alberta economy."Read the full article on the CBC website.
