It’s Friday, so time for our usual week-end wrap-up.

Story 1: 24 Hours columnist Daniel Fontaine has echoed our call for a net-zero negotiating mandate for municipal employees. From his piece yesterday:

The reality is if politicians don’t put a lid on labour costs in this new collective agreement, they will be digging even deeper into your pocket in the months to come.

Yet to date not a single civic politician in Metro Vancouver seems prepared to say they support a 0% pay increase.

This position contrasts starkly to what we’re witnessing in Victoria as the province enters negotiations with its unionized workforce. Finance Minister Kevin Falcon has taken the position there will be no raises for government employees unless new efficiencies can be found.

I certainly don’t blame civic unions when they ask for the moon when it comes to a new collective agreement. However, I am getting tired of civic politicians who see me as merely an automated teller machine prepared for yet another costly withdrawal.

Um, yes!

Story 2: The federal government hands out $71 million of your tax dollars to magazines every year, reports the Winnipeg Free Press. And not in advertising; but in straight cash. Grants seem to range from $5,303 for The Canadian Trapper to $1.5 million for Maclean’s.

You know what magazine doesn’t gouge taxpayers by taking these grants? The CTF’s very own Taxpayer, which you can get with an annual donation of $105. Just sayin’.

Story 3: The National Post’s Kelly McParland examines politicians’ rush to the trough, highlighting some of the more expensive items, including MP pensions. Kelly’s solution is a good one:

Just cancel the plan and let MPs contribute to RRSPs and TFSAs, like every other working stiff.

Yes!

Story 4: It’s been a busy week, so be sure to look back on our blog posts: the Ottawa-provincial dispute on health care funding, BC MP pension numbers, retired BC MP pensions numbers, and Premier Clark’s $8,960 YouTube video.