And it costs $23 million to keep some of those ears working
Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper addresses members of caucus during the weekly meeting Wednesday January 30, 2013 in Ottawa. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld
Conservative backbenchers might wonder why their names are included in the government’s media monitoring—the Privy Council Office says it’s merely about searching widely—but they could also ask whether $23 million over two years to monitor public media reports is a reasonable and defensible use of public funds.