Anyone watching the latest government television ads for "Achieve BC" has to wonder what the message is and why tax dollars are being spent on that kind of advertising. The ad provides no useful information, and those who don't know what "Achieve BC" is certainly don't know any more after viewing the ad. That probably means that government ran focus groups on the name and is running the ads because they believe it will change public attitudes on something, perhaps on the struggling BC economy, on the polarization created by the Campbell government, or maybe on the education controversies. It is unlikely that government will provide an honest answer, but a freedom of information request has been submitted to try to obtain the public opinion research that drives the advertising campaign. Don't hold your breath that the self styled "open and honest" government will cough up any revealing documents.

The Achieve BC website says that its purpose is to bring "… together the latest educational tools and information for promoting learning and achievement in early childhood, grade school, post-secondary education, and the world of work." In fact the Achieve BC website is a minor expansion on the Opportunities BC website that was launched in year 2000 by the Dosanjh government. A 2001 Gold Public Service Award was presented to the Ministry of Advanced Education for its work in bringing together "high school course selection, post secondary programs, information on trades and apprenticeships, financial assistance details and tips to aid young people in their work searches." The award website says the project "established a new standard for information outreach in the area of career and education planning".

One might ask how much various consultants were paid for repackaging work that had already been done. Achieve BC offers a more complicated way to access the site in that information is now several mouse clicks deeper. It also integrates some of the work the Ministry of Education has done in measuring public schools, but that is not new work unique to Achieve BC. Those who are familiar with web based information in the Ministries of Education, Advanced Education, Health and Human Resources will recognize elements from those Ministries that are now made available under the Achieve BC banner, but any informed person would have a hard time finding any new work, or any work that would justify a significant consulting fee. In light of that, the Auditor General may find it very interesting to see what value has been created for the millions that the Campbell government has spent on its web portal project. It is estimated that $7 million has been spent so far with nothing to show for it except some recycled webpages with new graphics.