VICTORIA: The B.C. division of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) today published a review of how much the main government unions and the BC Federation of Labour received from B.C.'s taxpayers between 1992 and 2001. Spurred on by last month's nationwide ads by the BC Federation of Labour and others "warning" investors about B.C., the CTF reviewed the B.C. Public Accounts since 1992 to find out how much those unions received from taxpayers.

The total came to $10.1 million in taxpayer money over the last decade. Half of the money was given in the form of grants and contributions, while half was disbursed through "contracts".

"The Canadian Taxpayers Federation has published five federal reports and three B.C.-specific reports on corporate welfare," said CTF-BC director Mark Milke. "A look at government lolly to unions was overdue."

"Over the past several months, some government unions have boycotted private B.C. businesses, sponsored ads across the country purporting to 'warn' investors about British Columbia, ads that in reality were meant to threaten investment in B.C. And tomorrow, some of the same unions plan to tie up downtown Vancouver and disrupt business," said CTF-BC director Mark Milke.

"If the BC Federation of Labour and its friends want to discourage investment in B.C., boycott taxpaying businesses, and shut down the core of Vancouver for a day, that's their right, but they should first repay any and all money they've received from taxpayers."

The Canadian Taxpayers Federation has also criticized the Campbell government - over its size of cabinet, flip-flops on taxes, excessive deputy minister severance packages, government ads, and possible subsidies to for-profit sports teams - but the Federation has never taken a dime from any government.

The Canadian Taxpayers Federation is a non-partisan, federally registered non-profit association, supported solely by freewill membership dues. The CTF does not possess tax deductible status and does not issue tax-deductible receipts.