OTTAWA: The Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) held its second annual Ted Weatherill (the Teddies) awards ceremony at a black-tie news conference on Parliament Hill this morning. CTF Federal Director, Walter Robinson acted as Master of Ceremonies.

The Teddies are named after Ted Weatherill, a former senior public servant who was terminated in 1999 for "expenses incurred by him-incompatible with his position as Chairman of the Canada Labour Relations Board," according to the Office of the Minister of Labour.

The Teddies are awarded annually to a public office holder, civil servant, or department, that most exemplifies government waste, overspending, over-taxation, excessive regulation, lack of accountability, or any combination of the five.

"Unlike the Oscar's or the Grammy's, it's a shame just to be nominated for a Teddy," stated Robinson. "This year was an exceptionally good year as all the nominees exhibited the requisite qualities of waste or mismanagement and these qualities were augmented with varying degrees of arrogance and contempt for hard working taxpayers."

"Sadly, a good year for the Teddies means it was a bad year for taxpayers," added Robinson. "On the fiscal side, each tax dollar wasted represents a lost opportunity for further tax cuts or debt reduction. And on the program side, each wasted dollar represents money that could have been put toward a hospital bed or school textbook."

Federal Nominees:

Best Ensemble with Comedic Writing - Minister Jane Stewart and Jean Chretien for their laughable defense of the HRDC job grants scandal.

Best Taxpayer Horror Film - HRDC job grants scandal: the internal audit and the funding of dubious ventures and bankrupt companies.

Best Movie: HRDC and the Police Investigations - HRDC job grants scandal: 19 police investigations and alleged violations of the Financial Administration Act.

Best Screenplay with 4,000,0000 Possible Sequels - HRDC for its lack of management and tracking of Social Insurance Numbers.

Best Federal Example of Y2K Bandwagon Stupidity - The Millennium Bureau of Canada and its $143 million funding of Y2K initiatives.

Winner: Human Resources and Development Canada for its Horror Film, the jobs grant scandal.

"While this category was difficult to judge, the police investigations or the comedic performances by the Minister and Prime Minister would not have been possible if not for the public release of the internal audit," said Robinson. "It's similar to the Empire Strikes Back or Return of the Jedi, both were great films but they would not have been possible without Star Wars. The only difference is that the force is not with taxpayers and the dark side is still running the show at HRDC."

Provincial/Municipal Nominees:

Best Ensemble in a Documentary - Newfoundland Premier Brian Tobin and his 16-member Cabinet retreat cruise.

Best Taxpayer Horror Film - City of Edmonton for councilor pay hikes, councilor pensions and car allowances.

Best Screenplay Sequel - Government of British Columbia - Fast Ferry Fiasco: The Audit.

Best Provincial Example of Y2K Bandwagon Stupidity - Government of Ontario for the Millennium Memento book.

Best Movie: Mr. Potatohead (Saskatchewan Version) - Government of Saskatchewan and the Spudco debacle.

Winner: Government of British Columbia for the Fast Ferry Fiasco: The Audit.

"This is the second year in a row that the BC government has walked away with top honours in the Provincial/Municipal Teddy category," noted Robinson. "While it took an iceberg to sink the Titanic, it only takes a strong gust of wind, small logs or seaweed to keep the not-so-fast ferries in dry-dock. All the while BC taxpayers will drown in the debt and red ink of this debacle."

A Lifetime Achievement Teddy was given in-absentia to Heritage Minister Sheila Copps for her legacy of anti-taxpayer initiatives. From her promotion of a CBC surtax to her support for the creation of the Canada Information Office to her defense of taxpayer funding of soft-porn films to overseeing an Agency planning to engage in the ethnic cleansing of fish in Banff, Ms. Copps has built a legacy of defiance of taxpayers interests.