Bill 42 changes the definition of third party advertising to include “an advertising message that promotes or opposes, directly or indirectly, a registered political party… including an advertising message that takes a position on an issue with which a registered political party or candidate is associated.”

The legislation also limits any spending on public-interest communication for a full five months before the election. Public advocacy organizations, environmental groups, unions and others will have their ability to buy advertising limited to $150,000 in total from December of this year until election day in May 2009.

HEU spent about $549,000 on election advertising during the official election period in 2005.

Critics, including the B.C. Civil Liberties Association and political columnists, have called this legislation an attack on democracy and the ability of public-interest groups to inform British Columbians about important issues facing our province, such as health care privatization, climate change, child care, public power, education and more.

Bill 42 has also come under fire for failing to limit political campaign donations, for increasing campaign spending amounts and for bringing in new voter ID requirements that disadvantage low-income and homeless people in our communities.

Download copies of the full-page ads (ad one, ad two) placed by HEU and other unions in selected B.C. papers May 15.

Speak out against Bill 42 and learn more at: http://www.justshutupbc.com/.

Watch HEU’s award-winning ad “Closed” here.