-- CTF Releases Government Spending Analysis for Week Prior to Election Call --
-- CTF Shows that Government Spent $223,060 per minute in Seven Days --
-- CTF Spend-O-Meter Up and Running on November 1st --

OTTAWA: The Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) today released an analysis of government spending announcements during the seven days (one week) prior to the election call this past Sunday, October 22nd. The list was compiled through an Internet search of all major federal government departmental web sites.

In addition, the CTF announced that it's election Spend-O-Meter which will track the spending promises of all parties will be operational and updated twice a week by November 1st, once all parties have released their platforms to the public.

"We know that politicians of all parties are trying to buy our votes by returning varying portions of the surplus back to Canadians through tax cuts and debt reduction, that's a given," stated CTF federal director Walter Robinson. "But what this analysis clearly shows is a shameless orgy of new spending announcements to maximize the governments profile just before the dropping of the electoral writ. The last time I checked votes should be earned, not bought."

The CTF analysis tallied some $2.248 billion in new spending announcements from 10 separate departments and agencies in the seven days (October 14th to 21st) prior to the election. While some of the spending was for worthy initiatives such as health research, the bulk of the funding falls in to the failed categories of regional development subsidies and corporate welfare.

"Some of these Ministers logged a lot of air miles to spend this whopping amount of money in just seven days," added Robinson. "At this rate, any projected budget surpluses for next March will probably vanish by voting day."

"Conspicuous by their absence was HRDC and thankfully so. If this department had cranked up its spending as well, planned federal tax cuts may well have been put in jeopardy," concluded Robinson.

Note: This analysis does not include any of the spending commitments detailed in the Economic Statement and Budget Update on October 18th.