There's a good Canadian Press story out today that shows the federal government has put up 8,587 "stimulus" signs across Canada. The signs are part of the government's plan for 'taking credit' for their orgy of stimulus spending.

However, isn't the same government also trying to tell us it's busy 'watching every penny' it spends and is 'working hard to fight the deficit'?

If that were the case, does it really need to put up signs in the first place? After all, who do politicians think taxpayers believe repaired a road or bridge - the tooth fairy? Of course it was the government!

And we know the government is behind it because every government-funded project usually comes with a couple press conferences - announcement, cheque presentation, ribbon cutting ceremony, etc.

While the CP story does a good job at covering the cost for the signs, installation is a whole other matter.

According to a City of Winnipeg tender, installation of signage at 37 locations in Winnipeg came in at $41,043. However, in true 'money is no object' government fashion, each location featured a separate City of Winnipeg, Province of Manitoba and Federal government sign. That means each location cost approximately $1,109.27 or approximately $369.76 for each sign.

Now take that $369.76 cost and multiply it by the total number of stimulus signs in Canada (8,587) and you're looking at about $3,175,129.12 on signage. That's obviously not an accurate number as we're taking Winnipeg's average supply and installation cost and multiplying it across the country, but it shows the stimulus signs are anything but cheap.

Now if that doesn't make your stomach turn, consider two jumbo signs that were put up in Winnipeg on Gunn Road (not part of the previously mentioned tender).

According to Freedom of Information documents obtained by the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, the signs cost approximately $4,263 each to put up. And to top it all off, the high cost for putting up the signs can be attributed to the large sign along the bottom which features the names of four local politicians. Without the large signs along the bottom, such extravagant structures wouldn't have to be built; metal stakes would have done the job for a fraction of the cost.

But the question is, why are politicians allowed to attach their names to these projects in the first place? How is this situation any different from the federal tories who were caught putting their party names and logos on government cheques?

Once again the taxpayer gets shaft. Sinful signs indeed.

By: Colin Craig
Posted: September 06, 2010
Topic: Federal

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