Kevin Gaudet

Ontario public sector $100,000 club grows by 19%

TORONTO: The Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) responded today to the release of the Ontario Sunshine list of Ontario public sector employees earning $100,000 or more. CTF Federal Director said “to understand why Ontario is running the largest deficit in its history – larger even then California’s – just look at the $100,000 club.”

Petition to end seniors’ benefits for serial killers surpasses 17,500 signatures

TORONTO: The Canadian Taxpayers Federation’s (CTF) online petition to end seniors’ benefits including Old Age Security (OAS) and the Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) for convicted prisoners has garnered over 17,500 signatures in less than six days.

Ontario Deficit Nightmare: Nine years of deficits add $116.6 billion to debt.

TORONTO: The Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) responded to the Ontario budget today decrying the McGuinty government’s plans to run nine years of deficits. CTF Federal Director, Kevin Gaudet said “this is a never-ending deficit nightmare. Premier McGuinty is just closing his eyes and hoping it will go away. Instead, he should be taking meaningful action to get spending under control.”

Ontario Budget Balancing Act: Use the Axe

How will Ontario dig itself out of the giant fiscal mess in which it now sits? Ontarians should not hold their collective breath expecting much of an answer from the 2010 provincial budget. It is most likely Premier McGuinty will announce little more than a hope that the province will grow back to fiscal health in the distant future. Taxpayers should not accept such pap. Instead, Ontarians deserve a credible and detailed plan to fix this fiscal mess. The plan will need to involve the use of an axe – especially for spending.

Stockwell’s Day of Reckoning

The Prime Minister has invested great trust and responsibility in Stockwell Day, having given him the role of Treasury Board Minister. His primary responsibility will be to get federal spending back under control. How this job is handled will dictate, to a great extent, how this government will be judged in the future for its fiscal management. The important outcome of the fiscal day of reckoning for the Harper government will rest in the hands of Minister Day.

MPs must dump their junk mail

TORONTO: The Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) is urging its 60,000 supporters and all Canadians to contact federal MPs from the Conservative and New Democratic Parties today to urge them to vote for the opposition motion to end the wasteful, partisan, junk-mail sent by MPs to Canadians who don’t even live in their ridings.

12th Annual “Teddies” Government Waste Awards

OTTAWA: The Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) held its 12th annual “Teddy Waste Awards” ceremony to recognize the best of the worst government waste. CTF Prairie director, Colin Craig, acted as the master of ceremonies today at the black tie news conference on Parliament Hill. “Porky the Waste Hater” (pig mascot) and guest hostess Natasha assisted with the ceremony.

12th Annual Government Waste Awards

OTTAWA: The Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) will host its 12th annual "Teddy" Waste Awards ("The Teddies") with a black tie ceremony in the Charles Lynch Press Theatre on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Wednesday, March 10th at 10:30 a.m. Like last year, the entire announcement/ceremony will last between 8 and 10 minutes.

Harper Legacy - No end in sight to deficits

OTTAWA: The Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) responded today to the 2010 Federal Budget expressing with great dismay that the Harper government continues to delay efforts to balance the federal budget.

Unicorn Sighting: Politicians Tightening Their Own Belts

OTTAWA: The Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) responded to the Speech From the Throne applauding the government for adopting measures to restrict some areas of government spending starting with freezing MP and cabinet pay.

When and How Will Budget Be Balanced?

The Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) Federal Director, Kevin Gaudet, will be available for comment in advance of and after the release of the 2010 federal budget. The budget will be tabled by Finance Minister Jim Flaherty at approximately 4pm (EST) in the House of Commons on Thursday, March 4th, 2010.

CTF Asks Leaders to Appoint Anti-Long-Gun Registry MPs to Committee

The Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) has sent letters to Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff and NDP Leader Jack Layton urging them to appoint to the Public Safety and National Security Committee MPs who will support Ms. Candice Hoeppner’s Bill C-391 to end the wasteful long-gun registry. The CTF also is encouraging its 60,000 supporters to contact Mr. Ignatieff and Mr. Layton with the same request.

Audit Nightmare

Imagine the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) shows up at your door to do an audit. As if that alone isn’t scary enough, they proceed to take both copies of your documents, originals and photocopies -- without your permission.

Resolutions for 2010: Honesty First

As the end of the year approaches many people take stock of the year that was and make resolutions for the year to come. If politicians did this they first would realize that there is much work to be done.

Lowdown on New Year Tax Changes for 2010

OTTAWA: The Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) today released its annual New Year Tax Change calculations which provide projected personal income and payroll tax changes taking effect January 1st, 2010.

Copenhagen Grifters Plan $3,000 Con

Would you be upset if you knew your government was about to get duped in a con that would cost your family at least $3,000 a year in new taxes? That is exactly what is happening in Copenhagen right now.

A Christmas Wish List for Taxpayers

Christmas season is upon us and people all over Canada are sending Santa their wish lists. We in The Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) released our wish list recently. We asked the government for a deficit action plan to balance the budget over three years. This would be a gift to taxpayers that would keep on giving as it would head off inevitable tax hikes that will be forced upon Canadians if our federal debt grows to record levels as planned.

Kill Cap-and-Tax Copenhagen Craziness

What do countries like Uganda, Burundi, Sudan and Djibouti have in common? Aside from terrorism, corruption and political instability, they are on the list of 49 countries that would receive billions of dollars every year from Canadian families as part of a new global warming agreement proposed by the United Nations (UN). And that's only the half of it. The UN also wants to impose new taxes on energy and industry that would increase energy costs and kill jobs. Prime Minister Harper should lead the world and reject calls to sign on to this misguided and expensive boondoggle – even if it means standing alone.

Conservative Government Abandons ATI reform, Groups Say

TORONTO/VANCOUVER: The federal Justice Minister has slammed the door on any reform of the crippled Access to Information Act for the foreseeable future, according to three national organizations concerned about openness and accountability in government.

10 Cent Solution to Avoid Ontario’s BSTax Mess

Taxpayers in Ontario have good reason to be concerned with the prospect of another 8 per cent being added to the costs of many services with the new Blended Sales Tax (BST). While harmonizing the provincial sales tax may have many advantages in theory, now is the wrong time for Premier McGuinty to impose the new BST. However, if the Premier insists on plowing ahead, he should move to protect taxpayers by reducing the rate to 10 per cent.