Check It Out: Listen to what everyday Canadians are saying

By Joan Janzen

A husband said, “A lot of women say their husbands don’t listen. Luckily, I’ve never heard my wife say that.”

Similar words could be spoken by our federal government: “A lot of Canadians say their government isn’t listening to them. Luckily, we haven’t heard any Canadians say that.”

However, the government is saying departments are instructed to identify 7.5% spending cuts in 2026, which will increase to 10% in 2027, as they project to launch a spending review. At the same time, their recently released spending program calls for an 8.4 percent increase in 2025-26. It makes no sense.

Franco Terrazzano from the Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) said online, “Even if the government sticks to its current plan to cut back, you’re still paying for a bigger bureaucracy taking bigger pay cheques. The cost of the federal bureaucracy increased 73 percent since 2015, as they added an additional 99,000 employees since 2016! Are you getting anywhere close to 73 percent better service from the federal government?”

It appears the government can safely make substantial cutbacks without affecting services. Let’s give them a few suggestions.

According to Fraser Institute experts, the deficit is headed towards $100 billion. Deficit means the government is spending far more money than it’s bringing in.

They could cut out pay raises, after handing out more than $1 million of them over the past four years. All MPs took home a total of six pay raises since 2020, even though their starting salary is $210,000.

“According to access to information requests, more than 110,000 bureaucrats are getting a six-figure salary,” Franco reported.

Therefore, the government should put a stop to taxpayer-funded bonuses, after they’ve rubber-stamped $1.5 billion in bonuses during the past decade.

Speaking of bonuses, according to more access to information records obtained by CTF, the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) gave out $30.8 million in bonuses in 2024. This means 2,398 CMHC staff each received an average bonus of $12,865. The records also show that twelve CMHC executives each took home an average bonus of $84,859.

“The political bubble of Ottawa is so detached from reality,” Franco observed. “Global Affairs might be the greatest waste offenders in all of government, and that’s saying a lot.” He gave the example of Global Affairs Canada buying $527,000 worth of artwork during a year-end spending spree in 2023 and 2024. It’s just one of many examples.

The last available records showed the government spent $15.5 billion on foreign aid in 2022, and annually spent $11.2 billion on corporate welfare. Those are two areas which could be considered during a spending review, but there are more.

Last year, a seven-person panel was formed to get advice on the future of the CBC. It was stacked with ex-CBC staff, and according to records obtained by CTF, the panel cost taxpayers approximately $200,000. And what results did the panel reveal in February 2025? The panel proposed that the federal government nearly double CBC’s annual funding. You can’t make this stuff up.

The CBC already cost taxpayers $1.4 billion this year, and Access to Information records revealed some interesting data. Ten years ago, there were 438 CBC employees receiving huge salaries; In 2024-2025, 1,831 employees received six-figure salaries, costing taxpayers $240 million. There’s no information given as to what role these employees hold, and there are more employees besides those big wage earners.

“Why do we have a state broadcaster? It’s never been easier for people to access information.” Franco mused.

Meanwhile, the Prime Minister is residing at Rideau Cottage. The official residence of the Prime Minister at 24 Sussex Drive has been closed to the public since 2022. The National Capital Commission (NCC) has spent $4.3 million on removing flooring, plaster and mechanical and electrical systems, and estimates it would cost $36.6 million to restore 24 Sussex Drive to good condition. NCC spends approximately $8.5 million per year renovating and maintaining the six official government residences.

Those are just a few areas where spending cuts would not impact the lives of average Canadians. The federal government could look at Argentina as an example of successful spending cuts.

At the close of 2023, newly elected president Javier Milei told his nation there was no money. Within one month, he slashed public spending by 30% and eliminated half the federal cabinet ministries. He got the state out of the way so ordinary people could rebuild what government overreach had damaged.

Less than two years later, Argentina’s inflation is falling every month; the economy has grown 7.7 percent since mid-2024, poverty is declining, and investment is returning. All of this happened while economists warned he would bring disaster, labour unions protested, and the media predicted chaos.

Sounds familiar, doesn’t it? If Argentina can do it, so can Canada.