VICTORIA: The BC division of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) today released results of a Freedom of Information search on tax dollars paid to former Glen Clark aide Tom Gunton. The CTF requested information on the purpose and cost of Mr. Gunton's contract. The CTF attempted to determine whether the contract constituted a 'golden parachute' following Glen Clark's resignation.

The request yielded the following information:

Tom Gunton is still being paid by the government until June 30, 2000, even though he resigned as a deputy minister in late August 1999. (He has since returned to teaching at Simon Fraser University.)

Mr. Gunton is being paid at the 'old' deputy minister rate of $104,000 to $121,313 annually, or between $8,666 to $10,109 per month. (The FOIP Act prevents the exact salary from being disclosed.)
There is no official contract between the government and Mr. Gunton. At least, no contract was forwarded to the CTF.

According to a two-page letter between the Office of the Premier and Mr. Gunton dated August 30, 1999, Tom Gunton is required merely to "work with post-secondary institutions and research agencies to identify opportunities for expanded research and development activity."

The only deliverable required is "a report on the results of the assignment" which is to be delivered to the government by June 30, 2000.

"Mr. Gunton will receive as much as $10,000 per month for an 'end of the school year' term paper that any one of his undergraduate students could write in two days," said CTF-BC director Mark Milke. "His advice to Glen Clark produced many taxpayer boondoggles, including the 1996 fudge-it budget, which he will have to answer for in court this week. Mr. Gunton's past poor advice has cost taxpayers plenty, and yet he is still being rewarded with a 'golden parachute' contract."