- $3M ads will extol energy reforms

The province will spend up to $3 million over the next three years on an advertising campaign trying to convince Albertans government has not abandoned them with electricity deregulation.

According to a government document, the campaign will also extol the virtues of the new restructured energy industry, citing new consumer choices, and explain upcoming changes.

The Alberta Liberals obtained the document, which asks advertising or public relations agencies to come forward with proposals for the campaign.

"I think it's obscene," Liberal MLA Hugh MacDonald said recently. "Now we're trying to manipulate public opinion with the public's own money, and that is wrong."

MacDonald said no amount of advertising will give consumers affordable and stable prices for natural gas and electricity.

In the document, the first key message of the campaign is "government has not abandoned the consumer through this restructuring process, and maintains its commitment to consumer protection against high prices for utilities."

The paper notes a 2002 telephone poll commissioned by Alberta Energy found 56 per cent of Albertans believe government is the most credible source for information on Alberta's electricity market.

Jim Wachowich, an advocate for the Consumers' Association, said "deregulation was supposed to sell itself."

He said he doesn't know how the government is going to sell the benefits. "All we have is costs of deregulation."

The campaign, which could include TV, radio, print, flyer and Internet advertisements, is to be launched later this fall.

Energy Minister Murray Smith said Albertans have asked for clear information about the restructured market and want to be assured the government will protect consumers as the market changes.

"It's rather laughable that the Liberals, who months ago were asking when this campaign will start, are squawking as we expand on our existing consumer protection and customer choice activities," Smith said in a prepared statement.

Smith has been talking publicly about the campaign for several months, according to his department.

The document notes Direct Energy is entering the retail electricity and natural gas market, and other retailers have increased their marketing efforts.

"More aggressive marketing tactics have consumers at all levels searching for objective information," it reads.