• Tax dollars wasted on government sponsored infomercials
  
• Taxpayers not getting straightforward accountable reporting

WINNIPEG: Documents obtained by the Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) through Freedom of Information show that since 1999 Manitoba's four largest Crown corporations spent over $585,000 producing annual reports. CTF calls on Doer government to reign in spending on crown annual reports, create an accountability template for all crown and government reporting.

"Information that is effectively of little to no use to the public is costing taxpayers tens of thousands of dollars each year to produce," said CTF Manitoba Director Adrienne Batra. "If one manages to navigate this myriad of slick 'coffee table' annual reports, one finds: escalating debt servicing costs, and red ink at Manitoba's crown corporations. No amount of spending on feel good reports will change this fact," Batra added.

The CTF recommends that Premier Doer and his ministers establish a common look and presentation of key accountability measures for all Manitoba crown corporations and agencies. An accountability template would mean any Manitoban could turn to a given section of an annual report and find comparable financial and performance data. "Crown corporations in Manitoba are bound by law to produce annual reports outlining financial statements showing the assets and liabilities of the previous fiscal year - these reports must give Manitobans value for the money spent producing them," said Batra. Unlike private sector annual reports, government annual reports are not produced to attract investment, but rather to provide a good snapshot of how tax dollars are spent.

Spending a king's ransom:


"The shameless self-promotion and extravagant spending on the Crowns' annual reports is inexcusable. Considering overall crown debt has increased by $1.1 billion in five years, savings must be found wherever possible," concluded Batra.