A government order paper showing massive spending by departments, agencies, and Crown corporations on promotional items and branding products has led a taxpayer advocacy group to suggest that politicians should initiate budget cuts if this persists.
The substantial expenditures have drawn criticism from the Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF), which suggested that if such wasteful spending continues, politicians must intervene to reduce their budgets.
“It’s like the government had a contest to see which department could come up with the dumbest way to spend taxpayers’ money and they all won,” CTF Federal Director Franco Terrazzano told The Epoch Times in an email.
“Bureaucrats need to knock it off with the card games, charcuterie boards, and pizza cutters when Canadians are having a difficult time paying for groceries.”
The department had not responded to an Epoch Times request for comment by press time.
The Defence Department spent nearly $1.08 million on promotional products, saying the expenditure was used in support of recruitment and outreach. Some of the department’s largest purchases include more than $200,000 spent on 71,000 liquid gel pens, at $2.92 apiece. Other big purchases included $15,000 spent on 500,000 waterless tattoos and nearly $25,000 on tote bags.
Nearly 9,000 euros ($13,000) was spent by Battle Group Latvia during multiple operation tours to purchase laser-engraved coffee mugs, water bottles, and carabiners, as well as stickers featuring battle group and NATO logos, for “public engagement events by Battle Group Latvia over the span of multiple operational tours.”
“Not only are promotional items a cost-effective method to reach a wide audience, but they also help maintain our engagement with Canadians. Leveraged against the backdrop of our ongoing advertising and marketing campaigns, they help support the important task of reconstituting the CAF as we continue to recruit a diverse, high-quality military force,” Defence Department spokesperson Daniel Le Bouthillier told The Epoch Times in an email statement.
Fisheries and Oceans Canada was another major spender, reporting over 450 purchases of promotional items totalling $916,757, according to its response to the order paper. However, the department declined to disclose specific details, such as the purchased products, quantities, unit prices, purposes of the purchase, and countries of manufacture.
The Epoch Times reached out to Fisheries and Oceans Canada for comment. The department said it could not provide a response by press time.
The Canadian Security Intelligence Service did not disclose a list of promotional items purchased, citing its mandate to maintain confidentiality. However, the agency confirmed purchasing promotional products during the specified time period for distribution at conferences, visits, professional workshops, and other events.
Farm Credit Canada, a crown corporation that reports to Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC), spent nearly $400,000 on promotional products, including over $88,000 on reusable tote bags, $40,000 on toques, and $25,000 on rain gauges. The Epoch Times reached out to AAFC for comment, but didn’t hear back.
