The Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) is a fiscally conservative advocacy group that campaigns for lower taxes, less waste, and accountable government. The organization regularly comments on current political and economic issues in Canada, with a focus on how they impact taxpayers.
Key Issues and Positions
The CTF’s campaigns often target government spending, taxes, and accountability. Here are some of their recent positions and activities:
Carbon Tax: The CTF has been a vocal opponent of the carbon tax, crediting their advocacy for the elimination of the federal consumer carbon tax. They have also called for the complete scrapping of the industrial carbon tax, arguing that it is a "hidden" tax that makes everything more expensive for consumers and harms the Canadian economy.
Government Spending and Bureaucracy: The organization regularly critiques government spending, particularly the cost of the federal bureaucracy. The CTF has highlighted reports showing that government labour costs have significantly increased in recent years and has called for cuts to the size and cost of the bureaucracy to provide tax relief for Canadians.
Parliamentary Salaries and Pensions: The CTF has long advocated for reforms to the salaries and pension plans of politicians, arguing for more equal contributions between taxpayers and legislators. They have also called for transparency, such as a "sunshine list" to disclose the salaries of all federal employees earning over $100,000 annually.
Fiscal Responsibility: The CTF advocates for a balanced budget and has put forward its own pre-budget submissions to the government, proposing to reduce program spending to pre-pandemic levels (adjusted for inflation and population growth) to achieve a surplus and allow for tax cuts.
Government Subsidies: The CTF is critical of corporate welfare and government subsidies, including funding for Crown corporations like the CBC. The group has launched campaigns and legal actions to end government funding for these entities, arguing it is a waste of taxpayer money.