Canadian Taxpayers Federation

Premier Wynne: You Are Freezing the Wrong Wages!

• An across-the-board government wage freeze would save an estimated $2 billion

The Wynne government announced again this week that it wants to continue its wage freeze on MPPs until the budget is balanced. If passed, the MPP Salary Freeze Act would stop the scheduled pay increases set for this April and would put off any wage increases until the Public Accounts confirm the budget is balanced.

New Federal Finance Minister Urged to Cut Debt, EI Payroll Taxes, Simplify Tax Act

OTTAWA, ON: The Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) welcomed the appointment of Joe Oliver as federal finance minister, and called on the new minister to get to work immediately to deliver tax relief for Canadian families in the next federal budget.

On the Economy, Justin Trudeau Needs to Fire His Coaches and Raise His Game

This commentary first appeared in today's edition of the Calgary Herald Justin Trudeau’s early moves on the political playing field are pointing the federal Liberals in an intriguing new direction: toward free trade and a dynamic leadership role for Canada in the global economy.

Behind The Government's Budget Spin

Governments put their best foot forward when they table a budget. They tell you about all the good things and leave out the not-so flattering details.

Andrea Horwath's Line in the Sand

Ontario NDP Leader Andrea Horwath has drawn a line in the sand, and if Premier Kathleen Wynne crosses it, Ontario will head to the polls for a spring election. Much to the delight of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, this line in the sand is over tax increases. Ms. Horwath has made it clear that she and her party will vote against the upcoming Ontario budget if it includes any “new taxes, tolls or fees that hit middle-class families.”

16th Annual “Teddy” Government Waste Awards Winners

• Federal – Employment and Social Development Canada – wasted $2.5 million on 2013 Stanley Cup playoffs advertising for the non-existent Canada Jobs Grant
• Provincial – fired Toronto Pan-Am Games boss
• Local – Vancouver’s TransLink builds $4.5 million parking lot for nobody

OTTAWA, ON: The Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) today held its 16th annual "Teddy" Waste Awards ceremony, celebrating the best of the worst in government waste. Joining the CTF’s pig mascot Porky the Waste Hater was CTF Federal Director Gregory Thomas in his third year as Master of Ceremonies, and talented event hostess Nakisa. The gala awards event took place Parliament Hill at the Charles Lynch Press Conference Theatre.

16th Annual Teddies Awards Tomorrow: Canadian Taxpayers Federation to Announce Waste Awards

OTTAWA, ON: The Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) will host its 16th annual Teddies Waste Awards black tie ceremony in the Charles Lynch Press Theatre on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, tomorrow, February 26th, 2014 at 10:30 a.m. Like the past three years, the ceremony will run between 8 and 10 minutes.

You Don't Win Friends With Salad!

When Dalton McGuinty first announced the program to remove deep-fried foods and meals high in fat, sugar, and sodium from high school cafeterias, it was treated like a silver bullet to address growing obesity levels.

Balanced Federal Budget Sets Stage for Serious Tax Cuts in 2015

OTTAWA, ON: The Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) applauded the federal government’s 2014-15 budget, one that projects the first year-over-year spending cut since the Chrétien-Martin era.

Here's to a 'Do-Nothing' Budget

This commentary first appeared in today's edition of National Post No matter what Finance Minister Jim Flaherty tells you on Tuesday, Canada’s 2014-15 federal budget will be balanced.

Brazeau and Harb Charges Demand Speedy Passage of Bill C-518

OTTAWA, ON: In light of charges being laid against former Liberal Senator Mac Harb and suspended Conservative Senator Patrick Brazeau, the Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) today renewed its call on the Harper government to speed passage of Bill C-518, the Protecting Taxpayers and Revoking Pensions of Convicted Politicians Act.

Wall's Procrastination Puzzling

The Brad Wall government has done some great things for Sask taxpayers.

Transparency Saves Taxpayers Money

Employers know how much their employees earn in salaries, wages and benefits. How else could they properly manage their business and make important business decisions?

Wynne's Pension Bait & Switch

Ontario’s premier Kathleen Wynne has invoked the assistance of former Prime Minister Paul Martin to help her address the latest quagmire in Ontario: perceived lack of retirement savings and potential shortfalls in the Canada Pension Plan (CPP).

The Harper Conservatives and the Opposition Are Keeping Us in the Dark and They Like it That Way

The Christmas break interrupted the abysmal work of the Commons committee on procedure, tasked with finding a way for MPs to account publicly for the millions of taxpayer dollars they spend on travel, contracts, and staff.

Ontario is the Poster Child of Bad Tobacco Policies

As the Wynne government desperately looks for revenue tools to fund new government projects and meet its commitment of balancing the budget by 2018, it is overlooking a very obvious source of revenue: forgone taxes from the sale of contraband tobacco products.

Bad Tobacco Policies Drive Smokers to Black Market

TORONTO, ON: The Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) released today a new joint-research paper with the U.S.-based Reason Foundation. The paper looks at Canada’s tobacco tax rate changes in relation to the growth of the contraband market, making the case to reject higher tobacco taxes in Canada as well as President Obama’s proposal for higher tobacco taxes in the United States.

CTF Releases New Year’s Tax Changes for 2014

• Employment Insurance ‘rate freeze’ means EI taxes to rise $54
• CPP taxes going up $140
• EI payroll taxes up 28 per cent since 2008

OTTAWA, ON: The Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) has crunched the numbers and despite the federal government’s announcement that it’s freezing Employment Insurance taxes for three years, many Canadians’ paycheques will be getting smaller after January 1st as EI and Canada Pension Plan taxes go up.

Ottawa Needs to Follow Alberta’s Example and be Accountable for Executive Pay

This commentary was first published in today's edition of the Calgary Sun Alberta just became the seventh provincial government in Canada to let taxpayers know how much they are paying senior government employees.

Alberta’s New Sunshine List Sets Gold-Standard for the Rest of Canada

CALGARY, AB: The Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) came out in full support of the Alberta government’s new employee ‘sunshine list’ today. The CTF has campaigned actively for such a law over the past year and provided recommendations to Associate Minister Don Scott as he crafted the sunshine list guidelines.