VICTORIA: The BC division of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) today expressed concern that the new government "Waste Buster" website may not save taxpayers money unless the government clarifies why it actually exists. A segment of the $108,000 website labeled "Frequently Asked Questions," poses this question: "Is Waste Buster trying to identify ways to reduce the size of government " The government answer begins with "No."

"The website - despite its expensive set-up cost - is a fine idea," said CTF-BC director Mark Milke. "But the same site contradicts itself. If the Liberals will not actually reduce the size and scope of government - why bother with a new website, itself an expensive duplication of a previous NDP website that asked for suggestions on how to streamline government "

"Try and imagine if the NDP set up a website to ask people how to save taxpayer dollars, and then expressly pointed out that smaller government would not be the result," said Milke. "The Liberals would have criticized such a contradictory public message as a waste of tax dollars. And they would be right."

The Federation noted that if the public does come up with ideas for saving tax dollars, the implicit message is that the money will simply be spent elsewhere and make-work projects found for bureaucrats. "If tax dollars don't need to be spent, and the government can be made smaller, especially in light of a $1.5 billion deficit - why not reduce spending Why not use Waste Buster savings to whittle away at the annual deficit The government needs to decide whether it is on the side of taxpayers or a plump public sector."