OTTAWA: The Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) held its fourth annual Ted Weatherill (the Teddies) awards ceremony at a black-tie news conference on Parliament Hill today. 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, department or agency, that most exemplifies government waste, overspending, over-taxation, excessive regulation, lack of accountability, or any combination of the five.

"While Canadians are gearing up for this weekend's Oscar awards, the Teddies represent an uncomfortable experience for taxpayers," stated Robinson. "Once again, this year's nominees and winners exhibited the requisite qualities of waste, mismanagement and contempt for the fruits of hard working taxpayers. It is clear that beautiful minds were not at work here."

Federal Nominees

Best New Tax at 33,000 Feet: Finance Canada and Transport Canada for the proposed $2.2 billion Air Travellers Security Charge (ATSC) - aka: the flying tax - scheduled to take effect on April 1st, 2002.

Best Western Comedy Since Blazing Saddles: The Department of Justice and its Canadian Firearms Centre (aka: the gun registry). This $700 million system has lost track of 38,269 gun owners and has issued hundreds of duplicate certificates, licenses with wrong pictures, amongst its other sad failings.

Most Expensive Script, Screenplay, Set Design, Casting and Use of Extras: Farm Credit Canada changed its name from Farm Credit Corporation at a cost of $433,000. It could well be the most expensive name change in Canadian history.

Most Original Use of Leather in Public Service: RCMP Commissioner Guiliano Zaccardelli for spending $1,064 on ceremonial leather riding boots and $180,000 on executive office renovations including $30,000 on leather furniture and $42,000 in bathroom upgrades.

Worst Sequel: Corporate Welfare - Again! Industry Canada's Technology Partnerships Canada (TPC) program for handing out $947 million in conditionally repayable loans in the past seven years but only collecting a paltry $24.4 million or 2.58% in loan repayments.

Federal Award Winner:

"And the federal Teddy goes to Farm Credit Canada (FCC) for its $433,000 name change from Farm Credit Corporation to Farm Credit Canada. Never in the history of Canada have taxpayers paid so much for one word. But this could change next year when the current scandal which has engulfed Public Works and its half-million dollar - do they or do they not exist reports - is sure to be nominated," said Robinson as he unveiled the first 2002 Teddy, a beautiful golden sow.

Provincial/Municipal Nominees:

Worst Adaptation of a John Grisham Legal Thriller:The Alberta government, for refusing to properly clarify former Treasurer Stockwell Day's eligibility for so-called insurance coverage for refusing to challenge the $732,064 in legal bills, paid for by taxpayers to settle the $60,000 defamation claim of Lorne Goddard against Mr. Day.

Poorest Remake of 'A Bridge Too Far': The BC government for the Lion's Gate Bridge repair/reconstruction project which was originally projected to cost $78 million, but actually cost $125 million, a $47 million cost over-run to widen the existing three lanes on the bridge by 24 inches each - some $1.7 million per inch - but not add any new lanes.

Special Distinction for Accumulating Frequent Flyer Points: Nineteen Saskatchewan Cabinet Ministers flew 1,431 times on government-owed aircraft and chartered planes in the year 2000 - an average of 28 flights per week. The cost of operating the provincial government's fleet of aircraft in 2000-2001 is expected to be about $1.7 million, 129% higher than it was five years ago.

Biggest Vote Buying Flop: The former BC NDP government poured $425 million over four years into one pulp mill, Skeena Cellulose in Prince Rupert. This works out to approximately $425,000 for every supposed job "saved" at that mill but the local NDP MLA and Deputy Premier at the time was still turfed by voters in the last provincial election.

Worst Use of Movie Promotion Trailers: The Ontario Ministry of Education for spending $6 million on television advertising and a 16-page colour booklet mailed to 4.4 million Ontario households promoting the government's education reforms bringing the total that the provincial conservatives have spent on taxpayer funded partisan advertising since taking power in 1995 to at least $254 million.



Provincial/Municipal Award Winner:

"And the provincial/municipal Teddy goes to the Alberta government for failing to properly determine Stockwell Day's eligibility for legal coverage and for refusing to challenge the legal bills in the Goddard-Day lawsuit. To add insult to injury, eligibility for coverage of MLAs under the Risk Management Fund continues to be decided by the MLAs themselves," added Robinson as he unveiled another Teddy statue.

Lifetime Achievement Award Winner:

A Lifetime Achievement Teddy was bestowed in-absentia to former federal Industry Minister Brian Tobin for his "leadership" role in promoting subsidies to Canadian shipbuilders, depriving Newfoundland taxpayers of the revenues and 1,300 jobs that would have come with the Voisey's Bay project and for his championing the $2 billion to $5 billion broadband boondoggle project.

"Mr. Tobin served for 20 years as a federal MP, provincial Premier and federal Cabinet Minister. As a member of the famed Liberal Rat Pack during the 1980s he fought valiantly against the excesses of the Mulroney government - but like his former Rat Pack colleagues, Ms. Copps and Mr. Boudria, the trappings of power and government office quickly trampled over his once laudable principles," stated Robinson.

"In his last two years in office, he jetted across the country using hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars to buttress his leadership ambitions, presided over the largest March Madness spending spree - some $424 million of corporate welfare authorizations - in March 2001, and his departure from office this past January marked the third time in the last six years that he has not completed his elected term of office thereby betraying the trust bestowed upon him by his constituents," concluded Robinson. "This spotted and inconsistent record of service earns Mr. Tobin the 2002 lifetime achievement Teddy."