Kicking Taxes and Taking Names

CBC Refuses to Disclose David Suzuki’s Business Expenses

Derek Fildebrandt - Wednesday, February 22, 2012 - 06:26

The CBC has refused – as usual – to disclose the expenses of eco-advocacy tycoon David Suzuki. The Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) filed an Access to Information (ATI) request for the business expenses of Dr. Suzuki with the intention of examining his billing taxpayers for entertainment, hospitality, receptions and travel. By refusing to disclose even a single spending item in its 83 pages of redacted documents, the CBC has shielded him from public accountability.More importantly than accountability for Dr. Suzuki’s expenses on the public dime is the continued...
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Questionable Capital Projects?

Colin Craig - Sunday, February 19, 2012 - 21:32

Some taxpayers in Saskatchewan's Prairie Valley School Division have been asking about whether or not the division has the authority to move ahead with certain capital projects.Well, last week I wrote the Minister to find out more. Those who are following the issue, can read more about the issue in the letter posted below:>>>Dear Minister Harpauer,As you may know, the Prairie Valley School Division (PVSD) is moving forward with a number of new capital projects. According to the division's 2011-12 budget, it is proceeding with a Kipling School...
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CTF Now On Pinterest!

Jordan Bateman - Saturday, February 18, 2012 - 07:51

Pinterest.com is the latest social media innovation, allowing people to "pin" images from around the web--keeping them for future reference, sharing them with friends, and inspiring them on all sorts of projects.The Canadian Taxpayers Federation has launched its first-ever Pinboard--tracking wasteful government projects from across Canada. If you're a Pinner, be sure to follow our Pinboard. If you haven't tried Pinterest yet, but you're at all a visual person, check it out. You'll love it.Here's a sample from our government waste pinboard (click here to see more...
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BC NDP Opposes Auditor General for Local Government

Jordan Bateman - Thursday, February 16, 2012 - 09:14

The BC Legislature is back in session and went right to work debating something near and dear to our hearts—the Auditor General for Local Government (AGLG). This is the independent office of the Legislature which will have the power to look into questionable spending at city halls across BC, make recommendations, illustrate best and worst practices, and basically give property taxpayers some peace of mind that their dollars are being looked after properly.Naturally (likely because the government thought of it first), the opposition NDP hate the idea. And their...
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BC: Bob Plecas Proposes a Two-Year Tax Freeze

Jordan Bateman - Wednesday, February 15, 2012 - 09:51

“All of this has happened before, and it will all happen again.”- Disney’s Peter PanYa gotta love history buffs. They know that there is nothing new under the sun, that everything that happens today has happened before. It’s just a matter of finding the pattern.Bob Plecas, a BC deputy minister turned author and pundit, is just such a guy. His book, Bill Bennett: A Mandarin’s View, is a must-read for any BC political buff.Plecas has a piece in the Vancouver Sun today, observing that the BC NDP have a 75 per cent chance of forming government in 2013 due to the split on...
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2012 Sask Pre-Budget Recommendations

Colin Craig - Tuesday, February 14, 2012 - 07:05

This past January the CTF met with the Sask government to convey our recommendations for the 2012 budget.Just like in 2011, one of our top recommendations was for the government to keep a better lid on spending. After all, since taking office in 2006-07, spending has increased by over 40% under the Wall government. We recommended capping spending for the combined rate of inflation and population growth, a review of the Crown Corps (especially the money-losing ones), controlling public sector wages and moving away from balancing the budget off the backs...
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It’s Time to End Halifax's Public Transit Strike

- Tuesday, February 14, 2012 - 06:50

Feb 7thDear Mayor Kelly,I am writing to you today to ask you to take action to end this public transit strike.As the strike enters its second week, it’s clear that unless action is taken, this strike could potentially last for several more weeks. The strike creates a significant impediment to thousands of people who rely on our public transit system each and every day to get to their jobs or carry out their daily responsibilities.There is a solution.Our organization asks that as soon as possible a motion be made at city council calling on the Nova Scotia Government to...
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City Employees "Driving" Urban Sprawl?

Colin Craig - Monday, February 13, 2012 - 17:48

Whenever I hear politicians at City Hall and other activists speak about the need to prevent urban sprawl, I have often wondered how many City of Winnipeg employees actually live outside the city's boundaries?Well, today I got the answer.You see, I filed an information request with the City of Winnipeg back on January 31, 2012 for the number of employees with residences listed outside the city. According to the city's response, 1,649 employees don't live in Winnipeg. As the 2010 annual report notes that city had an average of 9,942 employees, that...
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BC: Shut Down the Bureaucrat Gift Cupboard

Jordan Bateman - Monday, February 13, 2012 - 08:25

Sundays are usually quiet for the Canadian Taxpayers Federation—but not yesterday, thanks to Province columnist Michael Smyth. In a blistering piece, Smyth exposed a $1.5 million employee recognition cupboard, a program that allows provincial bureaucrats to send each other gifts ranging from $5 Starbucks cards to Mountain Equipment Co-op backpacks—all paid for by you, the taxpayer.From Smyth’s story:It’s all part of the government’s $1.5-million staff-appreciation program for rewarding workers who do a good job. Employees are encouraged to visit one of several...
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BC Hydro Withdraws Massive Effort to Build a Spin Arsenal

Jordan Bateman - Friday, February 10, 2012 - 13:11

A nice win for taxpayers caps off another busy week here at the CTF’s BC office.On Wednesday, the Times Colonist and Global TV reported that BC Hydro was pre-approving 25 marketing firms to have ready to go to spin various initiatives. These companies would be on stand by to do polling, marketing, consultation and p.r. Global was kind enough to run a couple of clips from us in their piece (see the embedded YouTube video—and note on vociferously Premier Clark’s staff works to try and extricate her from answering the reporter’s questions), which illustrated how goofy...
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Canada's Federal Debt

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The federal government is adding $88 million a day to our debt. At this rate, the $105-billion in debt repayment between 1997 – 2008 will be wiped out this year. Support our campaign for a federal balanced budget law and help us STOP this clock.

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