An outdoor ad campaign called ‘Shop Canada,’ worth $2 million, that Ottawa awarded almost entirely to u.s.-owned Mediacom has prompted a Canadian billboard company to respond with flags and posters promoting the theme of ‘1 Canada.’

Peter Gallop, president of Gallop & Gallop Advertising in Toronto, says the flags and posters are his company’s way of supporting Canadian unity and the ‘Yes’ side for the Oct. 26 referendum, and a way to show his dismay at Ottawa’s decision.

Brian McLean, president of Mediacom, says with Mediacom a buyer gets one-stop shopping.

McLean dismissed concerns about Mediacom’s ownership.

Gallop says Gallop & Gallop Canadian flags were raised above 500 of the company’s billboards, and flag decals were placed on more than 800 bus shelters in major cities across the country, save Quebec, on Sept. 26 to coincide with Raise the Flag Day. They will stay in place until the referendum.

Bob Bryan, chairman of the advertising management group at the Department of Supply and Services, was not available for comment.

Gallop says the posters were not allowed in bus shelters in Quebec because the typeface for ‘1 Canada’ came from the now gone $1 bill and they were not authorized by an official referendum committee.

He says the value of the space used in ‘1 Canada’ is about $100,000, adding the cost to the company is about $20,000.

Gallop says his company picked up a small part of the Shop Canada campaign worth $60,000. DC