• Documents obtained through Access to Information show locally procured items can be significantly less expensive
• Officials ordered a $7,500 credenza and 16 chairs at $1,050 apiece from luxury Vancouver furniture designer

OTTAWA, ON: Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) Federal Director Aaron Wudrick released documents obtained through Access to Information showing that since June 2017, the Canadian Consulate General in Hong Kong has spent nearly $46,000 on tables, chairs and a credenza.

“Hopefully dinner guests at the Consulate General’s residence rest comfortably in one of the 16 chairs that cost taxpayers $1,050 each,” said Wudrick.

In addition to chairs, the Consulate General’s residence also purchased a $7,500 walnut credenza – also known as a sideboard – from Vancouver-based SwitzerCultCreative as part of an order totalling $24,990. The official government threshold for sourcing non-competitive contracts is $25,000.

Wudrick observed that the consulate also purchased a sideboard for $1,067 (85% less) and eight dining chairs for $305 apiece (71% less) from Tequila Kola, which bills itself as “Hong Kong’s iconic home store.”

“Our missions abroad can still have nice furniture without breaking the bank,” said Wudrick. “It just takes a little common sense – and greater respect for taxpayer dollars.”

To view the documents obtained by the CTF under the Access to Information Act, click here. For comparison purposes, invoices in Hong Kong dollars were converted to Canadian dollars using current exchange rates.