Kevin Gaudet

Cut Premier’s Pay: Plan to Balance the Books

TORONTO: The Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) responded with concern to the news that Ontario will run a deficit of $24.7 billion for 2009-10.

Balanced Budget Strategy Required - Freeze Public Sector Wages

TORONTO: The Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) Federal Director, Kevin Gaudet, will be available for comment in advance of and after the release of the 2009 Ontario Economic Update. The update will be released by Finance Minister Duncan at approximately 1:15 p.m. (EST) at Queen’s Park in Toronto, on Thursday, October 22nd, 2009.

Reject $2 Billion A Year Demand By Premiers

Next year federal Equalization payments to the provinces are expected to decline anywhere from 10 to 15 per cent. As a result, some premiers are demanding the program get a giant bailout. The Harper government should reject these expensive demands.

Is Sunshine Required for Bailout Salaries?

How much does Arturo Elias make as President of GMAC Canada? How much does Tom Lasorda make as President of Chrysler Canada? What about AbitibiBowater President David Paterson? And really, should it matter? After all, they’re private companies, or are they?

Assessing Ontario’s Blended Sales Tax

A lot is being made of the Ontario government’s recent decision to combine the provincial sales tax with the federal GST to create a blended sales tax (BST). Taxpayers and consumers have good reason to be concerned with the prospect of another 8% being added to the costs of many services in Ontario. While it might be a good idea in principle, now is the wrong time to impose the BST and Mr. McGuinty is going about it the wrong way.

DebtClock.ca Speeds Up April 1st

OTTAWA: At midnight (EST) April 1st, 2009, when the new federal budget takes effect, Canada’s debt will start climbing at a rate of $1,069 per second. The climbing debt can been seen at DebtClock.ca, hosted by the Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) as part of its campaign for balanced budgets.

Ending a $2 Billion Joke on Taxpayers

Many jokes get played on April Fool’s Day. This year, however, April 1st brings a chance to end one long, painful and expensive joke that has been played on taxpayers and law-abiding gun owners. On that day, the Parliament of Canada will debate ways to improve gun registry in Canada and to save tax dollars; in part by ending the long-gun registry. This will be accomplished while maintaining public safety.

Taxpayers honour the Canada Council for the Arts, Vancouver, Big 3 Auto Subsidies

OTTAWA: The Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) held its eleventh annual “Teddies Waste Awards Ceremony” to recognize excellence in the art of government waste. CTF Federal director, Kevin Gaudet, acted as the master of ceremonies today at the ceremony’s black tie news conference on Parliament Hill. Assisting with the awards ceremony were “Porky the Waste Hater” (pig mascot) and Samantha, a veteran government waste awards hostess.

Taxpayers Federation to Announce Waste Awards

OTTAWA: The Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) will host its 11th annual ‘Teddies Waste Awards’ black tie ceremony in the Charles Lynch Press Theatre on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Wednesday, 11 March 2009, at 10:30 a.m. Like last year, the announcement will last between 8 and 10 minutes.

Debt Clock Re-Launch

OTTAWA: The Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) today re-launched its federal debt clock, at debtclock.ca, in response to federal politicians taking Canada back into a deficit after 11 years of surpluses. The federal government projects a deficit of $1.1-billion for 2008-09 and $34-billion in 2009-10, adding no less than $84-billion to the debt over the next four years.

How Large Will Deficit Really Be?

OTTAWA: The Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) Acting Federal Director, Kevin Gaudet, will be available for comment in advance of and after the release of the 2009 federal budget. The budget will be tabled by Finance Minister Jim Flaherty at approximately 4pm (EST) in the House of Commons on Tuesday, January 27, 2009.

Avoiding A Chicken Little Budget

Any Canadian who has been listening to politicians and spin doctors lately would likely believe Canada’s entire economy was teetering on edge. In truth, calm should be the order of the day, not panic. The sky is not falling. In fact, it is not even close to falling. Granted, an economic acorn or two have fallen in Canada. These acorns have driven some to scurry around like Chicken Little stirring up a frenzy of calls for massive government intervention. Yet, we must remember a moral of Chicken Little: when one blindly buys into hysteria, the consequences can be dire.

CTF takes tax cut message into the Dragons’ Den

The Canadian Taxpayers Federation was recently invited by the CBC to appear as a presenter on a special edition of their hit television show – The Dragons’ Den.

Recommending Balanced Budget and Tax Relief

The Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) will be urging the federal government to balance the 2009-10 budget and provide tax relief during its meeting with federal Finance Minister Jim Flaherty tomorrow, January 6th, in Montreal.

Rescind Elementary Teacher Offer, Cut Off Big Auto

The province of Ontario has already announced it intends to run a deficit this fiscal year of no less than $500 million. During times like these people look to their political leaders to do what they can to help turn things around. So what are Mr. McGuinty’s priorities? He is banning cell phone use in cars and banning young drives from driving with friends. Meanwhile, he plans to spend billions more for teachers and big auto. This is a plan for disaster not recovery.

No to Auto-Bail-Outs

The Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) today released figures that trace how much Canadian taxpayers have spent to prop up the Big Three domestic auto makers since 2003, and is calling on the federal and Ontario governments to resist sinking even more tax dollars into companies that need to be radically restructured.

Rules Needed to Protect From Deficit Deeds of McGuinty-Duncan Gang

Premier McGuinty and Finance Mister Duncan recently issued Ontario's Fall Economic Statement announcing, despite being one of the last governments in the country to balance its books, it will be one of the first to rush back to deficit financing. This hold-up of Ontario taxpayers is unnecessary, was avoidable and could still be averted with little effort and no cuts to spending. Taxpayers should turn to four rules of fiscal sanity for needed protection from the McGuinty-Duncan gang's nasty deficit deeds.

Ontario Deficit Fueled by Spending Addiction

The Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) today responded to the Ontario government's Fall Economic Statement which announced Ontario will deliver a $500 million deficit, despite having increased taxes and having seen government revenues climb 42% in six years. CTF Ontario Director Kevin Gaudet said, "the premier is borrowing today so taxpayers of tomorrow will pay for his bad spending habits of the past six years."

Playing Pan Am Games with Deficits

The McGuinty government is only a long jump away from leading Ontario back into deficit, yet it still believes spending - yet un-budgeted - $1.7 billion on the 2015 Pan Am Games is a prudent financial move. Dropping large sums of money on fun and entertainment with little or no return is anything but prudent. During uncertain times families tighten their belts and protect their cash - starting with the entertainment budget. That is what good financial managers do. The premier should do the same; shore up the fiscal position in Ontario, control spending, lower taxes and establish the fundamentals necessary to keep the budget balanced and spur the economy.

CTF Calls for a Balanced Ontario Budget

The Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) today expressed serious concern that Ontario Finance Minister Dwight Duncan is reportedly considering taking Ontario back into deficit.