TORONTO: The Canadian Taxpayers Federation condemns the provincial government's spending of $200,000 of taxpayers' dollars on an untendered consulting contract for pre-budget focus groups.

"Government should consult the people - but this government has done so twice already: first, during the October election and then during a $500,000 pre-budget Town Hall process. Why is the government spending $200,000 more taxpayer dollars to ask the same questions " said CTF Ontario Director Tasha Kheiriddin.

According to the firm Canadian Policy Research Networks (CPRN), which received the contract for the focus groups, participants were presented with four budget options provided by the government. These options were the same as those presented at the Town Halls and according to CPRN President Judith Maxwell were drawn from the Liberals' own election platform.

During the last election, the Liberals promised to ban self-promotional government advertising. According to a Liberal party campaign website, Mr. McGuinty is on record as saying, "It's time to stop this kind of manipulative misuse of our tax dollars. We'll ban self-promotional government advertising and save $50 million per year."

"Mr. McGuinty is breaking yet another election promise - not to spend taxpayers' money promoting a partisan agenda," said Kheiriddin. "He's using these focus groups to test government messaging at public expense. What's the difference between partisan advertising after the fact and rubber-stamping his budget before he delivers it "