The Canadian Taxpayers Federation applauds today's announcement that the government of Canada is ending its $547,000 handout to the Canadian Environmental Network, an umbrella group representing and co-ordinating the activities of 600 environmental lobby groups.

It's laughable to listen to the whining today from well-funded professional fundraising machines such as the Sierra Club over the loss of this handout. If each of these 600 environmental groups really value the work the environmental network is doing, then they could each pony up $900 dollars, and solve the problem.

Let's hope this is the first of a hundred handouts that Ottawa cuts this year. The feds doled out $10.9 billion to non-profits last year, and $3.2 billion to private business, at the same time as they were running a $33 billion deficit.