WINNIPEG: The Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) is calling on both the provincial NDP government and the federal Conservative government to come clean with taxpayers on the amount of public money they will be putting towards a new Winnipeg Blue Bomber stadium.

"Politicians have been playing footsie with this proposal long enough, and it is time both levels of government tell taxpayers how much of our money they are spending and why," stated CTF Manitoba Director Adrienne Batra. "The current proposal asks for $80 million from both levels of government, and that does not include the cost of the land, which is owned by the city," Batra added.

Premier Doer has expressed his interest in funding the stadium, but has said that $40 million is too much, and the provincial contribution could be approximately $17 million. "If the provincial government has come up with a dollar figure, they should release it to the public and explain their rationale when there are so many other pressing needs in Manitoba," said Batra.

The federal minister responsible for the Treasury Board Vic Toews has been cool to the idea of funding for a football stadium, particularly since the team will no longer be publicly owned, Toews has also stated on numerous occasions the number of communities in our province with poor drinking water and deplorable road conditions. But a recent meeting with the backers of the proposal has Toews singing a different tune. "Recent media reports have suggested Mr. Toews 'personally supports the stadium' and will work to find money from another spending envelope. It is disappointing the federal minister has backed away from his strong position the federal government is not in the business of funding privately owned football stadiums," said Batra.

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers are currently a publicly owned and operated team. If this proposal goes through, taxpayers will be on the hook for millions of dollars for a private venture, and will no longer own the team. "This is nothing short of corporate welfare, and the CTF will continue to oppose this project," Batra concluded.