Departments - By Executive Decree - Library and Archives Canada

From 10 departments to 24 departments that consume 40.5% of the GDP - have we made progress? It depends if you think you are getting value for your tax money.
Departments - By Executive Decree - Library and Archives Canada: "From 1867 to 1873, the Canadian government operated with less than ten ministries, together with a few portfolios such as postmaster general, superintendent-general of Indian Affairs and secretary of state for the provinces. In 2005, the Government of Canada administers about two dozen departments and related organizations. Contemporary departments include such high-profile units as National Defence and the Department of Finance, as well as specialized units such as Social Development Canada and Industry Canada."

'Heads should roll'

It is sad that we pay so much to get so little-what a sham. PR
winnipegsun.com - Editorial - 'Heads should roll': "The system broke down to such a degree that this little girl was not a concern of government any more when she should have been.
The question is: How systemic is this problem? If this can happen to one child, it's likely that it can happen to others. Something is seriously wrong with a system that can break down so easily.
Make no mistake, the people responsible for the death of Phoenix Sinclair are those who allegedly murdered her.
But government has to take some responsibility for failing to ensure that this helpless little girl did not get the protection she deserved.
It is unconscionable that CFS staff would not track and monitor a little girl who was so at risk that she had to be taken away from her mother at birth.
Kim Edwards, who cared for Sinclair for three years as a foster parent, said 'heads should roll' in government over this tragedy. "

Annual account surplus hits record $30.2 billion in 2005, says StatsCan - Sympatico / MSN Finance

Good news we are flowing in our money - Tax relief is in order PR
Annual account surplus hits record $30.2 billion in 2005, says StatsCan - Sympatico / MSN Finance: "Annual account surplus hits record $30.2 billion in 2005, says StatsCan
Posted 2/27/2006

OTTAWA (CP) - Statistics Canada says the country's current annual account surplus with the rest of the world reached $30.2 billion in 2005, surpassing its previous record of $29.3 billion in 2000.
And the agency says Canada's current account surplus increased $5.5 billion in the fourth quarter, reaching a new seasonally adjusted high of $13.3 billion. "

Sympatico / MSN : News : CTV.ca

You shall reap what you sowed - good summary of the Gommery findings. PR
Sympatico / MSN : News : CTV.ca: "Brault pleads guilty to five sponsorship charges
CTV.ca News Staff
Jean Brault, an advertising executive who founded Groupaction Marketing, has pleaded guilty to five of six fraud-related charges against him in the sponsorship scandal.
Brault is one of three high level executives who face charges in the scandal.
Brault pleaded not guilty to the remaining charge of conspiracy and will go to trial on that charge at a later date.
Brault did not seek a plea bargain, said his lawyer, Jacques Dagenais.
'There was no bargain,'' Dagenais told the Canadian Press after the court appearance. 'As you can see the charges are all there.''
Retired bureaucrat Chuck Guite is also facing fraud and conspiracy charges for his alleged role in the scandal, as is advertising executive Paul Coffin. "

Osprey Media. - Brantford Expositor

Osprey Media. - Brantford Expositor: "New look touted for city hall

By Michael-Allan Marion, expositor staff
Local News - Friday, March 03, 2006 @ 01:00

City CAO John Brown has a plan to eliminate his job.

Brown surprised members of council Thursday during one of its regular retreats when he unveiled a new model for the city's administration.

His model would replace the current one, in place since the mid-1990s, that includes a chief administrative officer and four commissioners.

In its place, there would be a city manager overseeing the administration, with three general managers each overseeing several departments and services.

The three managers would be in charge of these areas:"

winnipegsun.com - Editorial - A modest step forward

Wow - an attempt to get value for taxpayer money - and in Canada you say ! PR

winnipegsun.com - Editorial - A modest step forward: "And it's in keeping with his overall objectives of phasing out the business tax over time, reducing bureaucratic costs and improving front-line services.
Katz did not cut the business tax this year, and never promised to.
Instead, he put a 15% cap on increases to businesses whose assessment grew beyond that rate in 2006.
It's a reasonable solution to what was turning into an explosive situation for hundreds, maybe thousands, of businesses in the city that were facing tax increases as high as 60% to 100%.
You can't tell the business community you plan to phase out a tax and then stand idly by and watch some businesses' taxes soar.
Katz is also recommending that city council instruct the city's chief administrative officer to find savings of $4.7 million, including $2.9 million in cuts to senior and middle management.
It's a small step towards reducing bureaucratic costs and we would have preferred a bolder and more informed approach"

Minister pressed to maintain wheat board

Dual marketing -a concept whose time has come- let the producers choose PR
Minister pressed to maintain wheat board: "WINNIPEG -- Federal Agriculture Minister Chuck Strahl ventured into not-altogether-friendly territory Monday, meeting with officials from the Canadian Wheat Board - an institution whose monopoly he plans to take away.
'What I said to the wheat board's board of directors is the same thing that I've been saying publicly . . . that our campaign promise was to move toward dual marketing,' Strahl told reporters after the get-together. "

More taxpayer money misspent

CANOE -- CNEWS - Politics: More taxpayer money misspent: "OTTAWA -- Federal justice department employees have played fast and loose with travel and hospitality rules and cost taxpayers a bundle, an internal audit reveals.
The report, completed in March 2005 but just released publicly on the department's website last week, uncovered sweeping problems, including shoddy documentation, mixing personal and business trips, and flying business class instead of economy in violation of the rules. Weak control measures have left the department vulnerable to unauthorized spending, non-compliance to the rules, unjustified or fraudulent claims and excessive expenses, the report found. "

Tories inherit troubled GST computer project

Tories inherit troubled GST computer project: "The federal government has a badly tarnished record when it comes to implementing new computer systems:
-In 2003, National Defence discovered it had been defrauded of $146 million through bogus invoices related to computer systems.
-A 2003 audit found the Canadian Coast Guard had mismanaged a project to link its ships and shore stations by computer. The original budget of $7.9 million soared to $13.3 million and would likely climb even higher, the audit said.
-An internal audit last year of the military's MASIS computer project, designed to track inventory, estimated the true cost at about $325 million - far in excess of the $147 million planned in 1997. "

winnipegsun.com - Editorial - Openness in the court

winnipegsun.com - Editorial - Openness in the court: "We're confident all MPs will treat the review process with the respect and dignity it deserves and not turn the exercise into a 'political circus' as some have warned.
More openness and accountability in the public sector, including our judiciary, is always a good thing. We applaud it. "

Federal government posts $7.3-billion surplus

Does this mean that our taxes are too high?
How do they get away with this gauging?
Could you maybe use the money instead of some nice government mandrin!
Federal government posts $7.3-billion surplus: "Federal government posts $7.3-billion surplus"

Horrible first week for Harper despite seasoned transition team

Horrible first week for Harper despite seasoned transition team: "Horrible first week for Harper despite seasoned transition team"

Farewell to Paul Martin -our deficit slayer

winnipegsun.com - Editorial - Less than a PM's fond farewell: "The greatest impact of his short stint in our nation's highest office is the one that will be felt by future prime ministers.
His predecessor coasted for a decade with no credible opposition to call him to account. Martin believed he could do the same and it led to his downfall.
Conservative changes will reduce the oppressive powers of the PMO that were abused by both Martin and Jean Chretien before him.
Martin does deserve praise for taking on the heavy burden of leadership -- one that often exacts a steep personal toll.
He's right that history will judge him, but at this point in time, it appears the chief lesson of his defeat is that the free ride is over for prime ministers in this country.
That spells relief for Canada. "

Cut PM's power: Gomery

Cut PM's power: Gomery: "The Conservatives proposed to clean up the procurement process of government contracts, in part by appointing a procurement auditor to oversee, process and handle complaints from losing vendors. Judge Gomery recommends the Financial Administration Act be amended to add a new section stipulating that violations of the act be grounds for dismissal without compensation."

Be accountable

Sympatico / MSN : News : CTV.ca: "'Our principal recommendations address the need for a rebalancing of the respective roles of two of those institutions; Parliament and the executive arm of the government.'"

Special rules for the special people

Turfed MPs reap healthy taxpayer funded pensions

Terry Pedwell

Canadian Press
Tuesday, January 24, 2006


OTTAWA -- Taxpayers needn't shed a tear for members of Parliament who were defeated in Monday's federal election or left politics before the vote: they stand to collect $74.6 million in pensions and severance.
Four of the 67 retiring MPs could each collect more than $3 million before they turn 75, estimates calculated by the Canadian Taxpayers Federation suggest.
"Defeated and retiring members will win financially thanks to a gold-plated pension plan and rich severance payments for parliamentarians,'' said federation director John Williamson.
"Shed no tears for retiring or defeated MPs. They are being well looked after by Canadian taxpayers.''

- A huge breakthrough

winnipegsun.com - Editorial - A huge breakthrough: "Yesterday's win is a huge breakthrough for the Conservative Party of Canada and for conservative-minded Canadians in general, many of whom have felt voiceless and increasingly disengaged from national affairs under dynastic Liberal rule.
The challenge now for Harper and his party -- translating the positive message of the campaign into government action -- is monumental, since they will have to forge consensus with the more socially liberal Bloc Quebecois or NDP to attain a simple majority vote on any legislation in the House of Commons.
We wish Mr. Harper all the luck he'll need to get the job done and congratulate him for giving Canadians, finally, a real alternative to corruption and entitlement. "

The Globe and Mail: Conservatives win minority; Martin to step down as leader

The Globe and Mail: Conservatives win minority; Martin to step down as leader: "'Tonight, friends, Canadians have voted for change,' Mr. Harper said, speaking to supporters in Calgary.
'And Canadians have asked our party to take the lead in delivering that change. I tell Canadians we will respect your trust and we will stick to our words.'
Mr. Harper's comments capped a night in which the Liberal's 12-year reign came to an end in a vote that handed the Conservatives a minority mandate but also held that power in check with a solid endorsement of opposition parties as well."

The Globe and Mail: Conservative fiscal plan incompetent, Martin says

The Globe and Mail: Conservative fiscal plan incompetent, Martin says: "A Conservative government would restrict annual spending growth in federal departments and agencies to rates necessary to account for Canada's population growth and inflation: about 2 to 3 per cent annually. The Tories estimate this would free up $9.7-billion over five years. Two departments would be exempted, they say: Indian Affairs and National Defence.
A Harper government would also slow planned growth in federal subsidies and other transfers, including Industry Canada aid to business and Human Resources and Skills Development grants. The Tories expect to save $12.8-billion over five years there, saying actions would not affect currently projected growth rates for transfers to people such as benefits to the elderly and employment insurance, or transfers to other levels of government for health, social programs, equalization or infrastructure."

winnipegsun.com - Editorial - A very Canadian plan

winnipegsun.com - Editorial - A very Canadian plan: "The Tory platform preserves important social programs. But it also proposes concrete solutions for some of the serious problems facing Canada, including high taxes, a weak criminal justice system and out-of-control government spending.
It's a very Canadian platform. "