The Canadian Taxpayers Federation released its annual Teddy Awards on Wednesday for what it calls the best of the worst in government waste.
Prime Minister Justin TrudeauB次元官网网址檚 eight-day visit to India in February 2018 earned this yearB次元官网网址檚 federal award. It cost taxpayers at least $1.6 million and only a half day of official government-to-government business was scheduled, according to the release.
B次元官网网址淚t was bad enough to watch the prime ministerB次元官网网址檚 costume changes and dance moves during his trip to India, but seeing the bill was even worse,B次元官网网址� said federal director Aaron Wudrick.
In B.C., the winner is the ongoing scandal at the B.C. Legislature. Speaker of the House Darryl Plecas accused Clerk Craig James and Sergeant-at-Arms Gary Lenz of using taxpayersB次元官网网址� money to take frivolous trips to places such as the United Kingdom and Hong Kong. Both James and Lenz are suspended from their duties and deny all allegations.
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B次元官网网址淲e also won the municipal award for VancouverB次元官网网址檚 bizarre email-a-tree program,B次元官网网址� said B.C. director Kris Sims. B次元官网网址淲hen bureaucrats and politicians choose to waste our money like this, itB次元官网网址檚 important to recognize them for their efforts B次元官网网址� and B.C. is topping the charts, winning the Teddy Waste Award in two categories this year.B次元官网网址�
The Vancouver Park Board spent thousands on its All the Trees project, where residents were invited to send emails to trees and artists were paid to send replies on the treesB次元官网网址� behalf. The park board contributed $7,000 of the projectB次元官网网址檚 $12,000 budget.
Also winning for the second time was former governor general Adrienne Clarkson, getting the Lifetime Achievement Award.
The public learned last October that Clarkson has billed taxpayers more than $1.1 million since leaving the position in 2005 B次元官网网址� something she is allowed to do under a policy that permits former governors general to continue to submit expenses.
joti.grewal@bpdigital.ca
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