Taxpayers release Naughty and Nice List
By Franco Terrazzano
Canadian Taxpayers Federation
Former governor general Julie Payette tops the Naughty List compiled by the Canadian Taxpayers Federation this year.
“Payette lands herself in Santa’s bad books because she’s still eligible to bill taxpayers for her pension and lifetime expense account even after she left a reportedly grinch-style workplace,” said Franco Terrazzano, Federal Director with the CTF. “But some politicians and political parties managed to land themselves on the nice list this year, so let’s hope taxpayers see some more good behaviour in 2022.”
Billionaire Stephen Bronfman made the Naughty List for asking Quebec taxpayers to pay up to $300 million for a part-time professional baseball team.
Conservative Party Leader Erin O’Toole is on the Naughty List for flip-flopping on his promise to fight carbon taxes and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau made Santa’s bad books for increasing the carbon tax, alcohol taxes and payroll taxes during the pandemic.
Some politicians made the Nice List for running a budget surplus, giving up their perks and improving transparency. The Bloc Québécois made the Nice List for being the only party in the House of Commons to refuse the federal wage subsidy that was meant to help businesses during the pandemic.
“O’Toole’s nose grew three sizes this year with his carbon tax fib and Trudeau continues to hike taxes during the pandemic,” said Terrazzano. “Members of Parliament have been acting like Scrooge by helping themselves to two pay raises during the pandemic. But Santa is all about second chances and MPs can get on the nice list next year by reversing their pandemic pay raises.”
Naughty List:
• Former governor general Julie Payette
• Billionaire Stephen Bronfman
• Members of Parliament
• Conservative Party Leader Erin O’Toole
• Prime Minister Justin Trudeau
Nice List:
• New Brunswick Finance Minister Ernie Steeves
• Former Calgary councillor Jeromy Farkas
• Former speaker of the British Columbia Legislature Darryl Plecas
• Bloc Québécois