It's Just Money

Why not blow it all?

Would the Liberals be so cavalier about spending if it came out of their pensions?:

Quebec was the province Canadians felt most likely to say had a disproportionate benefit from its place in Confederation, according to a poll conducted by the Angus Reid Institute (ARI). 

A total of 42% of Canadians believe Quebec garners an extra advantage in Confederation, according to the Monday poll. While Quebec was the province Canadians believed was the most favoured, Ontario came in second place (24%).

After Ontario was do not know/cannot say (23%). This was followed by Atlantic Canada (15%), none (13%), and Alberta (11%). 

Conversely, the ARI said Alberta is at the top among the provinces Canadians think give more than it receives. It found 23% of Canadians believe this. 

That proportion is 10 points higher than any other province, with Ontario coming in second (13%). However, Saskatchewan residents were the most upset when evaluating its place in Confederation, with 58% of them saying they get a bad deal.

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Last week was a busy one for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Leaks undermining his finance minister surfaced, as did reports that he was courting former Bank of Canada governor Mark Carney. But the biggest splash was in the New York Post, which reported that Canada quietly spent US$6.63 million (C$9 million) to buy a lavish condo overlooking Central Park on Billionaires’ Row in Manhattan, which we later learned is meant to house our consul general, former broadcaster Tom Clark.

Although the apartment isn’t meant for the King, it’s fit for a king. It’s sheer extravagance is annoying, given the state of Canada’s economy thanks to nearly nine years of Trudeau’s spendthrift and irresponsible government.

The condo is 3,601 square feet with access to a pool and other amenities. The carrying costs are eye-popping, too: a comparable apartment in the building costs US$10,064 a month in taxes and US$9,594 in monthly common charges, or US$235,896 per year.

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A federal contractor suspended in fallout from the ArriveCan scandal is suing the Government of Canada for $64 million in damages, Federal Court records show. Coradix Technology Consulting Inc. blamed federal managers and media for costing it millions in fees: ‘It was done to deflect or distract from negative publicity.’

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The federal government added more than 10,000 employees to the federal public service last year, swelling Ottawa’s bureaucracy to record levels.

Numbers posted online by the Treasury Board of Canada puts the current population of the federal public service at 367,772 employees — a 10,525 increase from last year.

That’s down from the 21,290 new employees added to the public service ranks in fiscal year 2022-23, and 16,356 from the year previous.

The size of Canada’s public service has ballooned by 42 per cent since the 2015 election of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, while Canada’s population increased by around 14 per cent.

In a report from earlier this year on the federal government’s third supplementary estimates of the 2023-24 fiscal year, Parliamentary Budget Officer Yves Giroux pointed out that personnel spending within the federal government was steadily increasing, reaching a record high $67.4 billion in 2022-23.

Personnel spending rose steadily since the 2016-17 fiscal year, when payroll costs amounted to $40.2 billion.

That’s a 68 per cent increase in payroll spending since the Trudeau Liberals came to power in 2015.

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Student loan write-offs are still running past $160 million a year despite interest waivers and generous repayment terms, says a federal report. Auditors blamed hard times: ‘Borrowers’ difficulties are the result of precarious and unstable financial situations.’