SK: Hot sauce, moose hats and yoga pants, oh my!
Provincial ministries, crowns & agencies spend $1.5 million on promo items annually and over $5 million on sponsorships
The Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) released documents today obtained through Freedom of Information (FOI) orders showing Saskatchewan crown corporations, ministries and agencies spend about $1.5 million each year on giveaway promotional items and over $5 million on sponsorships.
“In some cases it might make sense for the government to hand out small promo items to promote a program or service, but it seems to have gotten out of hand,” said CTF Prairie Director Colin Craig. “Tax dollars are being used to buy some pretty generous gifts such as watches, golf balls, Rider jerseys, memory sticks, yoga pants and vests.”
There were also some very unique promotional items handed out including; hot sauce, moose hats, tire inflators, fishing lures, BBQ fork thermometers and magnetic rocks.
“One has to remember, the government has a monopoly on most services it provides, so it doesn’t have to advertise as competitively as most businesses do,” continued Craig.
“Cutting back on sponsorships for things like debate re-enactments, plaques marking an old cattle trail and car racing will help the province fight the deficit and ultimately leave more money in taxpayers’ pockets.”
Promo Items 2008-09 & 2009-10
Government Body | 2008-09 | 2009-10 | Examples of Promo Items |
$44,733.00 | $60,642.00 | Stress relievers, polo shirts, USB drives, candies, Rider jerseys, vests | |
$14,180.34 | $8,908.12 | Coffee mugs, ball caps, shirts, tea, international delegate gifts | |
$3,877.28 | $13,828.98 | Pins, note pads | |
- | - | None | |
$3,579.93 | $35,398.97 | Tote bags, key holders, $12,000 on flash drives, geological survey cards | |
$33,351.47 | $24,086.53 | Fishing lures, balloons, portfolios, magnets | |
- | - | None | |
* | * | Time Extension | |
- | $2,075.85 | Tote bags, letter openers | |
$46,081.37 | $61,739.83 | Squeeze brains, cd cases, toques, bandages, music cards, blankets | |
$10,391.00 | $7,778.00 | Hard hat/Traffic cone/Dump truck stress relievers, pens, etc. | |
$5,300.08 | - | Memory sticks, none in 09-10 | |
$55.13 | - | Provincial pins | |
$5,220.01 | $5,170.81 | Pens, lip balm | |
* | * | $180 to get the information | |
$35,723.88 | $39,034.62 | Billboard fan, moose hats, sunblock, tire inflators, quilted vests, frisbees, binoculars | |
$15,934.61 | $14,755.14 | Flashlights, desk weather stations, travel wallets, pewter sculptures, mugs, USB sticks | |
$25,548.74 | $61,621.30 | Pens, flags, chocolates, tote bags, hot sauce | |
$13,011.28 | $15,017.73 | Gym bags, magnetic rocks, tote bags | |
$1,021.82 | - | Mugs, jacket, shirt, portfolio bags | |
- | $1,390.73 | Toques, caps, golf balls | |
$2,065.80 | $10,891.74 | Thermoses, mouse pads, seeds, highlighters | |
$5,227.00 | $1,933.00 | Steel tumblers, carabineers, playing cards, clocks/frames, knives, backpacks | |
$1,640.72 | $1,220.13 | Mugs, prints, magnets | |
- | - | $2,362 for pins | |
$6,397.60 | - | Pens | |
$90,000.00 | $90,000.00 | $4,000 on golf balls, $1,700 on flash drives, $13,000 on lip balm ($88,781 in '08, $60345 in '09, $44,846 in '10) | |
* | * | $285 to get the details | |
* | * | $2,710 to get the details | |
$322,745.95 | $401,101.81 | Various | |
$500,000 | $500,000 | Estimate $500k-$650k annually | |
$8,371.41 | $9,496.56 | Various | |
$3,097.51 | $4,163.66 | Lunch bags, mugs, flash drives | |
$97,254.66 | $69,985.43 | BBQ fork thermometers, USB sticks, lip balm, yoga pants, bobble heads | |
$5,682.97 | $9,538.74 | Various | |
* | * | Not separated out | |
$3,243.48 | $8,761.34 | Briefcases for board members, pedometers, toques | |
TOTAL | $1,303,737.04 | $1,458,541.02 |
“Given the province’s $622 million deficit this year, we’re not talking about a lot of money, but it’s an area where some savings could be found,” added Craig.
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