A recent discussion on social media raised questions about a city councillor’s rental of an ad spot inside the CN Centre, but a review of city policies shows that nothing was done improperly.
At the beginning of the current Prince George Cougars season, Coun. Kyle Sampson purchased a space that used to display an ad for local MLAs Mike Morris and Shirley Bond.
The sign in seating section H is predominantly white and black, with some green accents and a photo of Sampson.
On the left side, it reads “Kyle Sampson, city councillor” and on the right “Proud community supporter — Go Cats Go!”
While it is common for the CN Centre to have signs from provincial and federal politicians, an ad for a municipal politician is rare.
On Dec. 3, local writer James Steidle posted to his Facebook page: “Hmm is it normal for a city owned property to have a big apparently permanent photo of one particular city councillor hung up on display? Where are the other city councillors with their free publicity? Or was this paid for? Who paid for this? Is this considered elections advertising?”
That sparked an online conversation that drew in not only other residents but Sampson, his fellow councillors Brian Skakun and Trudy Klassen as well as Bond.
In a Facebook post, Klassen said Sampson’s sign was not normal practice. Skakun, in a post, wondered if other businesses or individuals were given the opportunity to vie for the spot before Sampson snapped it up.
Bond said she and Sampson spoke during a Cougars game about letting the ad space go as she and Morris were not running for re-election, but that she did not proactively work to make sure it ended up with Sampson.
Some residents wondered whether the signs would contravene the city’s rules on election signs.
Speaking to The Citizen on Tuesday, Dec. 10, Sampson said he rented the ad through the Cougars, who control in-arena advertising through their contract with the city to occupy the CN Centre. The ad has been rented out until the end of the current season.
“My understanding is that the Cougars sell advertising and sponsorship packages to folks who want to do business with them and want to support them, so I just reached out and said I want to support the Cougars,” Sampson said.
Unlike, for example, Prince George Conservative MPs Bob Zimmer and Todd Doherty who receive an advertising budget from the federal government, Sampson said his ad was paid from his own pocket.
The city has strict rules on where election signs can be placed and in what form, but Sampson’s ad does not match the bylaw's definition.
“'Election Sign' includes any sign primarily intended to promote the activities or the cause of any political group or entity or to encourage or discourage any person to vote in any manner at an election or public referendum, whether federal, provincial, municipal or other,” the bylaw reads.
Sampson’s sign does not encourage anyone to vote for him or anyone else. The next municipal election is still two years away.
The city’s code of conduct for council mandates that members are not allowed to use their office for their personal gain or the gain of others. It also mandates that councillors do not contact staff directly or request they engage in political activities, but for both of these rules, Sampson said he arranged the ad through a third party and not the city itself.
“I know this doesn’t break any city policies or guidelines,” Sampson said. “It doesn’t break any provincial legislation. For me, I think it’s fair for a question to be asked, but question asked, question answered. I think we just move forward, it would be my hope.”
