Newly released records obtained by the Canadian Taxpayers Federation show the federal election debates cost more than $9 million..“Why do taxpayers have to pay for debates that every news outlet in the country will cover anyway?” said Franco Terrazzano, Federal Director of the CTF..“Politicians will figure out a way to get their mugs in front of a camera, so taxpayers don’t need to be paying for it.”.The government-created Leaders Debate Commission was formed in 2018 to run the election debates with federal funding..From 2018 to 2021 the commission spent more than $4.3 million of taxpayer’s money and has budgeted an additional $4.4 million in the 2021-2022 books..Debate production costs used to be shared throughout the private sector through a variety of Canadian television networks at no cost to taxpayers..“Taxpayers shouldn’t be paying for this when it’s clear businesses are capable of broadcasting the debates,” said Terrazzano..“The feds are already more than $1 trillion in debt and ending the government’s Debate Commission is a prime place for savings.”.The commission also spent more than $300,000 on lawyers in court battles which were lost, and budgeted $400,000 for lawyers in the upcoming year..Conservative MP Corey Tochor was not surprised costs were going up, and he questioned the value received from money given to the commission..“People will remember the one disastrous debate [in 2021] where they had nine different MCs or commissioners on the stage,” said Tochor..“It was a gong show.”.He said he thinks debates should be covered through the private sector, as it was done in the past..“I would be on the side that we wind this down,” said Tochor..As for the $1.7 million paid to CBC for the 2019 debate, the commission said it gave the contract for debate production to a partnership of 10 news organizations, with CBC acting on behalf of the partnership..The CBC received $1.4 billion in federal grants last year according to the CTF..Ewa Sudyk is a reporter with the Western Standard.,.esudyk@westernstandardonline.com.This is what the Western Standard is up againstThe Trudeau government is funding lies and propaganda by directly subsidizing the mainstream media. They do this to entrench the powerful Eastern, woke and corrupt interests that dominate the political, social and economic institutions in Canada. Federal authorities are constantly trying to censor us and stop us from publishing the stories that they don’t want you to read. Ottawa may weaponize our taxes and police against us, but we’ve got a powerful ally on our side.You. Free men, and free women. We need you to stand with us and become a member of the Western Standard. Here’s what you will get for your membership:Unlimited access to all articles from the Western Standard, Alberta Report, West Coast Standard, and Saskatchewan Standard, with no paywall. Our daily newsletter delivered to your inbox. .Access to exclusive Member-only WS events.Keep the West’s leading independent media voice strong and free.If you can, please support us with a monthly or annual membership. It takes just a moment to set up, and you will be making a big impact on keeping one the last independent media outlets in Canada free from Ottawa’s corrupting influence.
Newly released records obtained by the Canadian Taxpayers Federation show the federal election debates cost more than $9 million..“Why do taxpayers have to pay for debates that every news outlet in the country will cover anyway?” said Franco Terrazzano, Federal Director of the CTF..“Politicians will figure out a way to get their mugs in front of a camera, so taxpayers don’t need to be paying for it.”.The government-created Leaders Debate Commission was formed in 2018 to run the election debates with federal funding..From 2018 to 2021 the commission spent more than $4.3 million of taxpayer’s money and has budgeted an additional $4.4 million in the 2021-2022 books..Debate production costs used to be shared throughout the private sector through a variety of Canadian television networks at no cost to taxpayers..“Taxpayers shouldn’t be paying for this when it’s clear businesses are capable of broadcasting the debates,” said Terrazzano..“The feds are already more than $1 trillion in debt and ending the government’s Debate Commission is a prime place for savings.”.The commission also spent more than $300,000 on lawyers in court battles which were lost, and budgeted $400,000 for lawyers in the upcoming year..Conservative MP Corey Tochor was not surprised costs were going up, and he questioned the value received from money given to the commission..“People will remember the one disastrous debate [in 2021] where they had nine different MCs or commissioners on the stage,” said Tochor..“It was a gong show.”.He said he thinks debates should be covered through the private sector, as it was done in the past..“I would be on the side that we wind this down,” said Tochor..As for the $1.7 million paid to CBC for the 2019 debate, the commission said it gave the contract for debate production to a partnership of 10 news organizations, with CBC acting on behalf of the partnership..The CBC received $1.4 billion in federal grants last year according to the CTF..Ewa Sudyk is a reporter with the Western Standard.,.esudyk@westernstandardonline.com.This is what the Western Standard is up againstThe Trudeau government is funding lies and propaganda by directly subsidizing the mainstream media. They do this to entrench the powerful Eastern, woke and corrupt interests that dominate the political, social and economic institutions in Canada. Federal authorities are constantly trying to censor us and stop us from publishing the stories that they don’t want you to read. Ottawa may weaponize our taxes and police against us, but we’ve got a powerful ally on our side.You. Free men, and free women. We need you to stand with us and become a member of the Western Standard. Here’s what you will get for your membership:Unlimited access to all articles from the Western Standard, Alberta Report, West Coast Standard, and Saskatchewan Standard, with no paywall. Our daily newsletter delivered to your inbox. .Access to exclusive Member-only WS events.Keep the West’s leading independent media voice strong and free.If you can, please support us with a monthly or annual membership. It takes just a moment to set up, and you will be making a big impact on keeping one the last independent media outlets in Canada free from Ottawa’s corrupting influence.
