It's sneaky – and it's on taxpayers' tab

When the teachers' strike divided the province last summer, everyone in B.C. supported the government - financially, if not philosophically.

That's because the Liberal government shelled out $350,000 for Google ads and sponsored Facebook posts while classrooms sat empty.

Except for a few social media users who've lost defamation suits, it's tough to think of anyone who's spent that kind of dough on social media.

And who got the taxpayers' money? The same marketing firm that designed the Liberal logo and helped push Christy Clark to victory in her bid for the party's leadership. All apparently without a contract for the work ever having gone to tender.

The NDP jumped on the scandal, admonishing Clark for not investing that cash in education.

They're right.

The Liberals reached into our pockets to win our minds, even as they were claiming there was no more money for teachers' demands.

Education Minister Peter Fassbender defended the ad campaign on the grounds the Liberals had a responsibility to present Clark's side of things - a side apparently inadequately represented on every TV news show, radio program and newspaper article covering the strike.

As evidence of the success of the social media onslaught, Fassbender pointed to the huge number of parents who signed up for the $40-a-day strike stipend. Apparently we were bought with our own money not once, but twice on that score.

What it may also be evidence for is the unfortunate gullibility of the public.

The government has realized that sneaking through the back door - via Facebook - into the homes of B.C. taxpayers is pretty darn easy.

Sponsored Facebook ads are advertisements nonetheless - although to the innocent Facebook user they may just seem like a friend's posting.

Governments are becoming more and more savvy, and, in our opinion, dishonest in disguising advertisements as news or social media conversations.

And, we suspect, we've just seen the tip of the iceberg.

If they believe they can slide one by taxpayers, they'll keep doing it.

Clark was elected to lead, not to sell.

Unfortunately politicians seem increasingly unable to distinguish the two.

And that's sad for all of us - you know, the ones paying the bill.