Outrageous Expenses Discovered from 2006 Western Premiers Conference in Gimli:

• MPI, Hydro, MLCC secretly asked to pay over $25,900 for gifts for attendees - fishing gear, jackets, denim shirts, golf shirts, bags, chocolates, scarfs
• Lotteries paid for $10,000 dinner and private Doc Walker concert
• CTF knows there is more out there - calls for full disclosure of expenses

WINNIPEG : Documents uncovered through Freedom of Information requests by the Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) revealed that MPI, the MLCC and Manitoba Hydro were secretly asked to pay $25,907.71 towards gifts for attendees of the 2006 Western Premiers Conference held in Gimli , Manitoba .

Not to be outdone, Manitoba Lotteries picked up the tab for a special $10,000 concert for the guests featuring Doc Walker.

The CTF has been informed that the total spent on gifts is significantly higher and is calling on the government to release all remaining expense details from the conference. The CTF was advised it would have to pay $600 to receive remaining details.

"Little did Manitobans know, but when they paid their hydro bills and renewed their car insurance in 2006, they were actually helping to buy fishing gear, jackets, denim shirts, garment bags and other gifts for visiting politicians and bureaucrats," said CTF Manitoba director Colin Craig, "Crown corporations shouldn't have contributed a cent towards the conference, this has nothing to do with their mandates."

"Worst of all, this is only the tip of the iceberg," added Craig. "We know there is more out there. The government should disclose all the expenses from the conference to the public."

Not surprisingly, no crown corporation banners were visible at the event. Unlike true "corporate sponsorship", the four crown corporations likely chose not to display banners at the event as it would only raise questions as to why they were involved in the first place.

Below is a breakdown of the expenses picked up by Manitoba 's crown corporations:

• "Shirts" - $3,962.93
• "Jackets" - $6,275.13
• "Hyde Port Traditional Garment Bags" (30 @ $185.00) - $5,938.50
• "Stormtech Denim Shirts"(35 @ $24.95) - $934.38
• "Heidi Scarf" (1 @ $60.00) - $60.00
• "Heidi Scarf" (1 @ $50.00) - $50.00
• "Hospitality Bags" (150 @ $15.00) - $2,407.50
• "Chocolates" (150 @ $2.25) - $361.13
• Fishing Rods & Scales (35 @ $25.50, 35 @ $74.50, 35 @ $72.40) - $5,003.44
• Other costs picked up by crowns (lanyards, guidebooks) - $914.70
• Concert & dinner costs - $10,000.00