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CTF to CBC: No More Butlers and Champagne

Author: Kevin Gaudet 2009/04/26

TORONTO: The Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) is calling on the federal Heritage Committee to tell CBC President, Mr. Hubert Lacroix, to end wasteful executive spending at the CBC.

CTF Federal Director Kevin Gaudet said “it’s time to end the champagne, butlers and first class travel at the CBC. Canadians don’t pay taxes so CBC brass can live the Hollywood lifestyle.”

It has been reported that Mr. Lacroix is seeking an increase to the federal CBC subsidy. The 2008 Public Accounts of Canada show the CBC directly received $1,101,962,000 from the federal government in 2007.

CBC brass received a nomination in 2009 during the CTF’s 11th annual Teddy Waste Awards, celebrating the best of the worst in government waste. It was revealed that CBC executives expensed swanky hotel suites with butlers, spa charges, and first class travel around the world. The nomination may be read here:

The most recent public disclosure of CBC executive waste reveals CBC brass hosting champagne meetings at expensive locations just blocks from CBC headquarters. It may be read here:
http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/MediaNews/2008/03/18/5039076-sun.html.

“These CBC executives have champagne tastes on a taxpayer budget,” continued Gaudet.

The CBC and all Canadian broadcasters receive indirect financial benefit from content funded in part through:

  • Telefilm Canada
  • Canada Television Production Fund
  • Canada Council for the Arts
  • CIDA through the Development Information Program (DIP)
  • Most provinces have government-funded ‘media’ corporations
  • Canada film or video production tax credit
  • Aboriginal Media Arts Program
  • Canada New Media Fund


The CBC’s reported net income for 2007 shows a loss of $64-million and a loss of $30-million for 2008.


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Franco Terrazzano
Federal Director at
Canadian Taxpayers
Federation

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