Kevin Gaudet

Pratt & Witney Should Repay What They Owe

• Taxpayers already owed $1.8 billion
• CTF opposes latest handout of $300 million

TORONTO: The Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) today expressed its opposition to the latest federal government handout to Pratt & Witney Canada Corporation of another $300 million. CTF federal director Kevin Gaudet, attacked the subsidy saying, “Industry Minister Clement is playing Santa to Pratt & Witney at great taxpayer expense. Before today’s $300 million announcement, the company had already soaked taxpayers for $2.158 billion, the vast majority of which has not been paid back.”

CFL subsidies a punt in the face for taxpayers

Now that the Grey Cup has been awarded it's time to assess the CFL year in review, but not the on-field play, but rather from a taxpayer angle. And unfortunately it comes up expensive.

Pension Riots Brewing in Canada?

Are you saving $14,180 a year for your pension? That is how much you would have needed to save – every year for the last 35 years – to pay yourself a pension equal to that of a federal public servant retiring today. That’s a lot of money and precisely why taxpayers are on the hook for an unfunded federal pension liability of $208 billion, according to a recent C.D. Howe Institute report.

Ontario agencies’ expense secrecy continues

TORONTO, ON: The Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) today released an update of Premier McGuinty’s promise for greater transparency and accountability in Ontario crown corporations and agencies.

Toronto council severance costs $1.24 million

TORONTO, ON: The Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) today released the list of estimated severance payments for retired and defeated city of Toronto councilors and the mayor. The estimated amount totals approximately $1,338,299 for the 14 politicians.

Hug-A-Thug-Athon Must End: Olson to Williams

Many Canadian citizens are understandably agitated over recent stories about how some of our most notorious criminals are getting sweet-heart treatment at taxpayers’ expense. It is past time that our criminal justice system stopped coddling wrong-doers and emphasized that prison is also about punishment. Prison should not be fun. It should not be a place for treats, ice cream and entitlement payments. It is time to end the hug-a-thug-athon that has been going on in Canada.

Taxpayers Federation testifies against payments to prisoners

OTTAWA: The Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) Federal Director Kevin Gaudet appeared as a witness in Ottawa today at the federal standing committee for Human Resources Development to encourage MPs to support Bill C-31. Bill C-31 would stop prisoners over 65, like Clifford Olson, from getting Old Age Security (OAS) and Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) payments courtesy of the taxpayer.

30 chiefs and counting…

REGINA, SK: The Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) released partial data today obtained from the Department of Indian and Northern Affairs that shows at least 30 band chiefs in Canada received more in pay than the average premier during 2008-09. The CTF is calling on the federal government to immediately release the withheld data.

Balance Budget Faster, Legislate Debt Repayment and Avoid EI Tax Hike

TORONTO: The Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) responded today to the federal government’s economic update, calling for a faster plan to eliminate the deficit and for a legislated debt repayment schedule.

Avoiding the EI Tax-Hike Hammer

Imagine your neighbour hits you in the head with a hammer, and then says you should be elated that he hit you only once because originally he had planned to hit you three times. This is the kind of argument Finance Minister Flaherty is using to sell his Employment Insurance (EI) tax hike planned for January 1st next year.

Scrap $1 billion Vale ‘Loan’: Taxpayers Federation

TORONTO: The Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) is calling on the federal government to scrap a $1 billion loan announced today by Export Development Corporation to Vale Inc. of Brazil. CTF Federal Director, Kevin Gaudet, said “if corporate welfare worked at creating jobs, every Canadian would have two by now. This loan should be scrapped and fast”.

Vote Today on EI Tax Hike of 24%

The federal Liberals are joining the NDP and the BQ in fighting the government again over Employment Insurance (EI). Unfortunately, they aren’t fighting the tax hike planned for January 1st: the one that will take more off pay cheques and out of the pockets of employers. Instead, they are fighting to make EI even easier to get and way more expensive for taxpayers.

Scrapping Long-Gun Registry is the Compromise

Later this afternoon, Parliamentarians will vote on a motion that seeks to kill a private members bill to end the federal long-gun registry. Bill C-391 passed second reading last November with the help of 12 New Democrats, eight Liberals and one independent. Each of those MPs has been worked over by special interests and party bosses like a piñata in an effort to get them to change their vote. Today, they stand to be counted.

Police Chiefs’ Registry Fool’s Gold

An Angus Reid poll out this week shows a vast majority of Canadians - 72 per cent - think the long-gun registry has done nothing to prevent crime. A survey of rank and file police officers is even more decisive, fully 92 per cent of them want it scrapped. Yet neither of these telling statistics will stop chiefs of police who are reportedly planning a taxpayer-funded lobbying and education campaign to defend the registry. They should stop.

Raising tobacco taxes not the answer to deficits

The growing black market for cigarettes in Canada is becoming a larger and larger problem. It is a source of violent and organized crime and it deprives governments of the full taxes from the sale of a legal product. To deal with this problem, governments must not further hike tobacco taxes, as doing so merely spurs black market trade.

Has PM Harper abandoned elected Senate?

Recently two of Stephen Harper’s 35 appointed Senators flip-flopped on what, until now, was assumed to be their raison d’être. Senator Richard Neufeld now favours an appointed Senate instead of an elected one. Another Harper Senate appointee, Pierre-Hugues Boisvenu, says he now favours a mix of appointees and elected senators.

Privatize Purolator Courier

The President of Canada Post, Moyra Green, is leaving to help new British Prime Minister David Cameron privatize the UK version of Canada Post – Royal Mail. On the way out the door Ms. Green said that Canada Post and its services ought to be reviewed every five years. Now would be a good time for Prime Minister Harper to follow Ms. Green’s advice. Canada Post’s next President should start the review by looking at the case for privatizing Canada Post’s Purolator Courier.

Canada Middle of PIGS Pack – Deficit Tough Talk Should Start at Home

The G8 and G20 summits are now over. While we are closer to knowing the final costs, it’s unclear if there will be any long-term benefits for Canadian taxpayers in exchange for the large amounts of tax dollars that were spent. That is unless Mr. Harper decides to send the same anti-deficit message to our provinces as was sent to debt-laden countries like Portugal, Italy, Greece and Spain (PIGS) during the summits.

Pension Reform Must Start with MPs’ Plan

Anxiety over retirement planning and inadequate pension security are on the minds of many Canadians these days. For about two-thirds of Canadians the focus is on how to deal with not having a pension at all, (other than the CPP). In stark contrast 75 more lucky Members of Parliament can now focus on how comfortable their retirement will be. On June 28th, 75 MPs elected in 2004 will enter the rarified pension elite. These MPs become eligible for their gold-plated pensions after having served only six years in office.

MPs’ Pension Trough Day Greeted By 75 Pink Pigs

OTTAWA: Today the Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) “decorated” the lawn of Parliament Hill with 75 pink plastic pigs to highlight the number of MPs who will become pension-eligible on June 28th. The CTF also renewed its call for Parliament to reform the gold-plated MP pension plan, bringing it into line with private sector pension plans.