National
Trudeau gov’t seeks to delay election by one week, ensuring MPs pass pension threshold
From LifeSiteNews
If the next federal election is delayed from October 20, 2025, to October 27, as the Trudeau government desires, many Liberal and NDP MPs who were elected on October 21, 2019 will just narrowly qualify for a lifetime pension by passing the six-year threshold.
The Liberal government is attempting to delay the federal election in what many see as an attempt to secure pensions for MPs who are projected to lose their seats.
According to election amendments proposed March 20, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is planning to move the 2025 federal election to a week later than it is currently scheduled, ensuring that a number of Liberal and New Democratic Party (NDP) MPs who are unlikely to be re-elected would receive their pensions by passing the six-year threshold.
“Should a fixed date election be held in 2025, it would be held on Monday October 20th,” the amendment reads.
“However, many communities in Canada will be celebrating Diwali at this time,” it argues. “Therefore, a one-time change to the date is proposed so that the potential election would not conflict with Diwali. Instead, the election would be held the following Monday.”
The federal election is scheduled to take place on October 20, 2025, according to Canada’s Elections Act, which states a general election must be held “on the third Monday of October in the fourth calendar year following polling day for the last general election.”
If the election is held on October 20, many Liberal and NDP MPs who were elected on October 21, 2019 will just narrowly miss the six-year threshold to qualify for a lifetime parliamentary pension.
The proposed amendment would move the federal election to October 27, 2025, allowing the MPs to receive their pensions. Those who would benefit from the delay include Liberal Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault and Treasury Board President Anita Anand.
The one-week delay could cost Canadian taxpayers millions to cover the extra pensions.
In 2021, the Canadian Taxpayers Federation calculated that Liberal MP Adam Vaughan would receive $1.3 million in pension benefits if he reached Canadian life expectancy through the pension plan. Similarly, Conservative MP David Yurdiga was eligible for $1.5 million of lifetime benefits after serving in the House of Commons for seven years.
Notably, the delay would only be of benefit to the Trudeau government if they believe they will lose the next election. Indeed, if Trudeau thought he could win the upcoming election, there would be little reason to delay to ensure his MPs would be given pensions.
The amendments come after months of polling in favour of the Conservative Party under the leadership of Pierre Poilievre.
A recent poll found that 70 percent of Canadians believe country is “broken” as Trudeau focuses on less important issues. Similarly, in January, most Canadians reported that they’re worse off financially since Trudeau took office.
Additionally, a January poll showed that 46 percent of Canadians expressed a desire for the federal election to take place sooner rather than the latest mandated date in the fall of 2025.
Recent polls show that the scandal-plagued government has sent the Liberals into a nosedive with no end in sight. Per a recent LifeSiteNews report, according to polls, were a Canadian federal election held today, Conservatives under Poilievre would win a majority in the House of Commons over Trudeau’s Liberals.
National
Taxpayers Federation presents Teddy Waste Awards for worst government waste
From the Canadian Taxpayers Federation
Author: Franco Terrazzano
The Canadian Taxpayers Federation presented its 26th annual Teddy Waste Awards to CBC President Catherine Tait for handing out millions in bonuses while announcing hundreds of layoffs; the Mission Cultural fund for its sex-themed artistic performances; and the city of Regina for its Experience Regina rebrand fiasco.
“Because it spent buckets of taxpayer cash funding birthday parties and photo exhibits for celebrities, and making things awkward for countries around the world with sex-themed artistic performances, the Mission Cultural Fund earned the Lifetime Achievement award for waste,” said Franco Terrazzano, CTF Federal Director.
“Tait is winning a Teddy Award because she handed out millions in bonuses despite announcing hundreds of layoffs just before Christmas, only to turn around and beg for more taxpayer cash.
“The Alberta Foundation for the Arts spent tens of thousands flying an artist to New York, Estonia and South Korea so she could flop around on a futon for a couple minutes and showcase a painting that can best be described as ants on a pop tart.
“The city of Regina came up with snappy slogans like, ‘Show us your Regina,’ and ‘Regina: the city that rhymes with fun.’ After spending $30,000 and facing backlash, the city ditched the entire rebrand so it won a Teddy Waste Award.”
The Teddy, a pig-shaped trophy the CTF annually awards to governments’ worst waste offenders, is named after Ted Weatherill, a former federal appointee who was fired in 1999 for submitting a raft of dubious expense claims, including a $700 lunch for two.
This year’s winners include:
- Municipal Teddy winner: The city of Regina
Regina spent $30,000 rebranding Tourism Regina to Experience Regina. But after facing backlash, the city scrapped the rebrand. And Regina taxpayers are out $30,000.
- Provincial Teddy winner: Alberta Foundation for the Arts
The Alberta Foundation for the Arts spent $30,000 flying an artist around the world to produce art few taxpayers would ever willingly buy or pay to see.
- Federal Teddy winner: CBC President Catherine Tait
Tait handed out $15 million in bonuses to CBC brass in 2023 as she announced hundreds of layoffs weeks before Christmas and lobbied the government for more money. Bonuses at the CBC total $114 million since 2015.
- Lifetime Teddy winner: The Mission Cultural Fund
The Mission Cultural Fund spent $10,000 on a birthday party for Margaret Atwood in New York, $52,000 for a photo exhibit for rockstar Bryan Adams, $8,800 on a sex toy show in Germany and $12,000 for senior citizens to talk about their sex lives in front of live audiences.
You can find the backgrounder on this year’s Teddy Waste Award nominees and winners HERE.
Media
CBC tries to hide senior executive bonuses
From the Canadian Taxpayers Federation
Author: Franco Terrazzano
The Canadian Taxpayers Federation filed a complaint with the Office of the Information Commissioner after the CBC refused to disclose 2023 bonuses for its eight senior executives until days after its President Catherine Tait is scheduled to appear at a parliamentary committee.
“This reeks of the CBC trying to conceal its senior executive bonuses so Tait doesn’t have to talk about it when she testifies at a parliamentary committee,” said Franco Terrazzano, CTF Federal Director. “The CBC is required to follow access to information laws and this nonsense delay is a blatant breach of the law.
“If Tait and her executives think they deserve their bonuses, they should be open and honest about it with taxpayers.”
The CBC proactively discloses certain information related to executive compensation in its annual reports. However, because the annual report lumps together salary and other benefits, Canadians don’t know how much the CBC’s eight senior executives take in bonuses.
Other Crown corporations have provided the CTF with access-to-information records detailing senior executive bonuses. For example, the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation paid out $831,000 in bonuses to its 10 senior executives in 2023. The Bank of Canada paid out $3.5 million in bonuses to its executives in 2022.
On March 11, 2024, the CTF filed an access-to-information request seeking details on the compensation paid out to CBC’s eight senior executives in 2023, including bonuses.
On April 9, 2024, the CBC issued a 30-day extension notice.
The new deadline for the CBC to release details on senior executive bonuses is May 10, 2024, just days after Tait is scheduled to appear at committee on May 7, 2024.
In response to a previous access-to-information request, the CBC released to the CTF records showing it paid out $15 million in bonuses to 1,143 non-union staff in 2023. The CBC did not issue an extension notice on that request.
“Tait is wrong to hide the cost of bonuses for CBC’s eight senior executives from the Canadians who pay their cheques,” said Terrazzano. “Tait must do the right thing and confirm to the parliamentary committee that she will cancel CBC bonuses.”
The CTF filed the complaint with the Office of the Information Commissioner on May 3, 2024, regarding the CBC’s delay in releasing documents regarding senior executive bonuses.
“The CBC is legally obligated to release the bonus documents days after the parliamentary committee hearing so obviously Tait has the details readily at hand,” said Terrazzano. “If MPs ask for those details, she needs to answer.
“And just to be clear, the CTF is fine with the CBC releasing this information at committee or anywhere else.”
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