Roles and responsibilities: Non-partisan review process for government advertising
The Government of Canada is committed to ensuring that its communications products and activities, including advertising, are non-partisan.
Through advertising, the government informs Canadians about:
- its services, programs, initiatives and policies
- environmental and public health and safety issues
- consultations related to public interest
- their legal rights and obligations
Scope and focus
Advertising campaigns with budgets over $250,000 are reviewed by an external organization against advertising review criteria based on the definition of non-partisan communications included in the Policy on Communications and Federal Identity.
The government has contracted the services of Ad Standards to provide review and advisory services depending on the specific criteria, as outlined in the Roles and Responsibilities section below.
Roles and responsibilities
The non-partisan review process involves many parties. This section outlines the roles and responsibilities of each.
Government of Canada departments
Departments and other portions of the federal public administration as set out in Schedules I, I.1 and II of the Financial Administration Act, unless they are excluded by specific acts, regulations, orders in council are required to comply with the Policy on Communications and Federal Identity and the Directive on the Management of Communications and Federal Identity and the oversight mechanism for non-partisan advertising.
Departments will:
- ensure that advertising materials comply with all requirements found in the Policy on Communications and Federal Identity and the Directive on the Management of Communications and Federal Identity , including definition of non-partisan communications
- submit all ad creatives for campaigns with budgets greater than $250,000 for mandatory review through the Advertising Management Information System (AdMIS)
- indicate, in AdMIS, when creatives previously approved under criteria 2–5 by Ad Standards are being re-used
- provide ad creatives in a format that will allow timely distribution and review at the following review stages
- Initial review: an examination of ad creatives in English or French early in the production process (for example, script, storyboard, audio-visual, initial layout)
- Final review (criteria 2–5): a second examination of the final ad creatives in English and French to ensure determinations made by Ad Standards are addressed before ads go to market
- ensure, as subject matter authorities, that government advertising is accurate, objective and factual in accordance with criterion 1
- retain documentation, including an attestation of factual accuracy, to support information presented in their ads
- refer disagreements about Ad Standards decisions to the Communications and Federal Identity Policy Centre at TBS for resolution
- respond, as necessary, to the findings of a TBS review of a public complaint about partisan advertising
Public Services and Procurement Canada
PSPC is responsible for facilitating the review process between government departments and Ad Standards.
PSPC will:
- provide secretariat support services for the coordination of the review process
- facilitate the submission of ad creatives for review to Ad Standards at both the initial and final review stages
- coordinate the processing of ad creatives that have already passed a review under criteria 2–5 by Ad Standards and are being reused by the department
- coordinate the tracking, notification and reporting process of Ad Standards review, specifically:
- track review requests by project
- ensure departments are notified of Ad Standards review determinations after each review stage
- provide TBS with access to completed review forms in AdMIS following the final review, as well as the accompanying ad creatives
- facilitate discussions between Ad Standards and departments, as required, to provide clarification and other information to support the review process
- notify TBS if a department fails to submit its ad creative for a review or disregards a determination from Ad Standards
- withhold issuing the ADV number if a department fails to submit its ad creative for Ad Standards review (when required) or fails to comply with the review determination from Ad Standards for criteria 2–5
- participate in quarterly meetings with Ad Standards and TBS
- direct all public complaints about partisan content in Government of Canada advertising to the TBS complaints form
Ad Standards
Ad Standards is the national self-regulatory body for advertising in Canada and serves as an independent review body.
Ad Standards will:
- review Government of Canada ad creatives at the initial review and final review stages under the advertising review criteria:
- Initial review: an examination of ad creatives, in English and/or French, early in the production process (for example, script, storyboard, audio-visual, initial layout)
- Final review: a second examination to ensure that the English and French final ad creatives fully meet criteria 2-5 prior to their broadcast, display or publication
- complete the initial review form in AdMIS and identify elements that do not meet criteria 2–5
- assess ad creatives and provide recommendations for consideration to departments to adapt, clarify language and/or validate facts, claims and statistics for criterion 1
- perform a final review for criteria 2–5 immediately following an initial review for ad creatives that have successfully passed the initial review, and for which the head of communications has attested will not be modified
- complete assessments for both initial and final reviews within two business days. Final review results must be provided in both official languages
- participate in quarterly meetings with TBS and PSPC to discuss the review process and other emerging operational issues
Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat
TBS is the policy authority under which the oversight mechanism and definition of non-partisan communications have been established. It is responsible for overseeing policy compliance and addressing public complaints.
TBS will:
- lead the development of the criteria for the review of government advertising based on the definition of non-partisan communications as described in the Policy on Communications and Federal Identity and the Directive on the Management of Communications and Federal Identity
- provide PSPC with required updates to the review form in AdMIS
- provide policy advice, analysis and interpretations to PSPC and to departments, as required, on the oversight mechanism, definition of non-partisan communications and policy requirements
- address any disagreements between departments and Ad Standards on the decisions made during the review process based on advertising criteria
- coordinate quarterly meetings between TBS, Ad Standards, and PSPC to discuss the review process and emerging operational issues
- monitor the effectiveness of the oversight mechanism and related procedures and recommend adjustments, as required, during Ad Standards’ mandate period
- ensure transparency and openness about the oversight mechanism for non-partisan advertising by posting the following information on Canada.ca:
- advertising review criteria
- Ad Standards assessments, on a quarterly basis