The Canadian Taxpayers Federation has released the winners and nominees.
“The Teddy, the pig-shaped award given annually by the CTF to government’s worst waste offenders, is named for Ted Weatherill, a former federal appointee who was turfed in 1999 for submitting an imaginative collection of sketchy expense claims, including a $700 lunch for two.”
View the whole list. (PDF, 12pp)
Beauty…!
The Wolf of Wellington Street (Nominee)
Canada Revenue Agency (CRA)
Nominated for: Most expensive failure to date stamp ever
Production Cost: $4.6 million
“A thorough search was conducted and no copy of the reassessment was located,” Conoco lawyers told Justice Campbell. In court documents, the company insisted it kept meticulous logs on incoming mail; that its tax director was “well-organized” and had “diligent record-keeping”; and that there was no evidence the 2008 tax bill was ever sent.
“Canada Revenue Agency has not produced an original copy of the assessment, only a print-out marked ‘reproduction’ of a record stored on a Canada Revenue Agency computer,” oil company attorneys noted.
Justice Campbell agreed, concluding tax employees failed to produce “precise evidence” they actually mailed the assessment.
That is hilarious, failure to collect for want of a date stamp…
Cheers
Hans Rupprecht, Commander in Chief
1st Saint Nicolaas Army
Army Group “True North”
There is no doubt that the Teddys do a good job of shining a light on wasteful spending & dubious programs within government.
However, Big Business has an equally impressive record of waste & mismanagement. Documenting the screw ups of the Big 3 North American auto manufacturers would fill volumes as would the escapades of the large energy players & many other industries. Maybe Kate could run a contest for a suitable name for this award.
Sadder still is that, in government & big business, the learned souls who cause the damage are often rewarded with bonuses & promotions.
Taxpayers & Shareholders must be vigilante & demand more.
I’m sick of the gov’t spending money to tell me what a good job they are doing spending my money. Just get on with your jobs, that is what you get paid for. If you want to advertise (i.e. campaign) about how great you are use party funds.
you have your choice to participate as a shareholder in a business. you are usually forced on your paycheck to contribute to the gubmint. sorry it’s government when you pay, it’s gubmint when you receive .
Glad they included AliOops Redfraud
We all know that this is just the tip of the iceberg. I would be willing to bet that billions are wasted through incompetence,redundancy, negligence and apathy by all departments of the civil service and all levels of government as well as crown corporations. Indian affairs,CBC,HRC’s and every other dept. one can think of. Efficiency may be a joke but empire building is a reality that reaches further into our pockets every year. Teddy awards are great but they are like a preview to a 4 hour movie.