DAVID MENZIES | Nearly a year after Carney's election, Canada remains in crisis

Summary

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Rebel News Podcast – Episode Summary

Episode Title: Nearly a year after Carney's election, Canada remains in crisis
Host: David Menzies
Date: March 11, 2026
Featured Guest: Carson Binda (B.C. Director, Canadian Taxpayers Federation)

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Episode Overview

This episode critically examines the first year under the Mark Carney-led Liberal government, focusing on broken promises, ongoing national crises, shifting political demographics, and government waste. Host David Menzies delivers a highly skeptical and satirical review of Carney's performance, lambasting policies on trade, immigration, and fiscal management. The episode also dives into government spending scandals, featuring an interview with Carson Binda of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, who discusses egregious examples of taxpayer money misuse.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Mark Carney’s First Year as Prime Minister

• Lack of Trade Progress:
  • Carney’s promise to handle US-Canada trade relations with President Trump has not resulted in a deal.
  • Menzies accuses Carney of actively antagonizing the U.S., referencing recognition of Palestine and inconsistent positions on the Iranian war.
  • “Still no trade deal in sight with our largest trading partner. Maybe because Carney seems to go out of his way to incense President Trump…” (02:00)
• China Policy Shifts:
  • Initial anti-China rhetoric abandoned; now promoting trade, including Chinese electric vehicles and allowing TikTok's operation.
  • “All is forgiven…China is no longer that existential threat anymore, but a potential trading partner…” (02:45)
• Comparison to a Carnival Barker:
  • Host uses wordplay equating Carney to a “carny,” the carnival operator, portraying the Liberals’ promises as rigged games.
  • “In a way, Carney has lived up to his name. As in a carny on the carnival midway. Step right up and play a game that is essentially rigged.” (03:06)

2. Liberal Popularity and Polls

• Surging Poll Numbers Despite Performance:
  • Recent polls show Liberals leading with 49%, Conservatives trailing at 35%.
  • NDP under Jagmeet Singh now virtually irrelevant (5%).
  • “A weak NDP is never good news for Conservatives, as the party discovered last election.” (04:39)
• Regional Breakdown:
  • Liberals dominate Ontario (52% vs. 36% Conservatives) and Quebec (48% vs. 20%).
  • Conservatives in third in Quebec.

3. Demographic Dynamics: Baby Boomers and Millennials

• The Role of Boomers:
  • Boomers are nearly 25% of the electorate, most reliable voters, but aging and soon to decline in numbers, shifting Liberal calculations.
  • “The oldest boomers are now entering their 80s…Liberals’ biggest base is literally going to die off.” (07:34)
• Implication of Mass Immigration:
  • Host posits Liberals are boosting immigration to replace dwindling boomer voters.
  • “Now you know why the Liberals are all in when it comes to mass migration.” (08:20)

4. Critiques of Immigration Policy

• Allegations of Systemic Abuse and Loopholes:
  • High rate of permanent residency approvals; claims of loopholes exploited (anchor babies, improper use of humanitarian visas).
  • Menzies references criminal cases as examples of system failure, suggesting mainstream media underreports these concerns.
• Notable Quote:
  • “Ted Smith…notes that so far this year alone, the Liberals have handed out permanent residency to more than 1,000 people per day.” (08:34)
  • “Non-citizen crime blotter is a lengthy one…” (16:12)

5. Cultural and Policy Concerns

• Liberal Party Rules and National Integrity:
  • Claim: Non-citizens can influence party nominations and potentially the prime minister selection.
  • Suggests military recruitment of foreigners, concerns about “Chinese police stations” in Canada.
• Questions on Values:
  • Skeptical about Carney equating “Muslim values” with Canadian values; references concerns over Sharia law.
  • “Is Sharia law coming to Canada?…My boss, Ezra Levant, feels Canada is but five years behind the UK.” (18:55)
  • Remarks on Carney’s “trans man” child as a contradiction to imported cultural values.

6. Speculation on Future Taxation

• Boomers as Future Tax Targets:
  • Predicts a capital gains tax on primary residences, which would predominantly affect older Liberal supporters.
  • “A Liberal majority government in the years ahead might have no choice but to implement a capital gains tax on the primary residences of Canadians…” (19:42)
• Pop Culture Reference:
  • Dark Knight quote analogy: “When they don’t, they’ll cast you out like a leper…” warning boomers their support won’t protect them from future Liberal policies. (20:17)

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Segment: Government Waste & Accountability

[20:54] – [33:04]

Interview with Carson Binda, Canadian Taxpayers Federation

• BC Government Spending Abuse:

  • $35,000 open bar reception at a Victoria resort for bureaucrats during economic hardship.
  • “The records say that this reception was to hand out coronation medals to deserving government employees.” (21:15)
  • Details: Lavish quantities of wine, spirits, and cocktails.

• Pattern of Waste:

  • Not a one-off: “$3,900 happy hour in Amsterdam” for two BC ministers exposed.
  • “David Eby’s bureaucrats and cabinet ministers are slapping tapped out taxpayers with big bills for boozy parties.” (24:10)

• Accountability Successes:

  • Example: Shutting down secret gift card bonuses for BC bureaucrats after media exposure.
  • “As a result, the B.C. government has canceled the gift card for bureaucrat program.” (26:16)

• The Importance of Taxpayer Engagement:

  • Phrase: “Sunlight sanitizes spending scandals…” (30:10)
  • Encouragement to watch programs like Rebel News and arm oneself with knowledge.

• Absurd Expenditures:

  • Example: $1 million revolving door installed at Durham Region headquarters (“$50,000 for the door and labor…$950,000 in kickbacks” (28:30)).
  • Toronto’s $2,000 plaque for a dead raccoon.
  • “A $2,000 plaque to honor a dead raccoon on a Toronto city sidewalk. Folks, think about that next time you go to file your property taxes.” (32:10)

• Closing Resources:

  • Carson Binda plugs Canadian Taxpayers Federation: taxpayer.com
  • “If you want to follow our work, head over to taxpayer.com…find out how you can join the taxpayer army to hold government accountable.” (32:33)

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Memorable Moments & Notable Quotes

• On Carney’s “Elbows Up” Slogan:
  • “Isn't this the dumbest political slogan ever? Put your elbows up in a hockey game…you’re going to get a penalty.” (03:52)
• Liberal Support Among Boomers:
  • “Maybe many of them need to be committed, given the way they vote. But I jest.” (06:54)
• On Immigration Loopholes:
  • “Millions of people who are supposed to be leaving will instead be having anchor babies…” (08:55)
• On Government Transparency:
  • “Sunlight sanitizes spending scandals — that's been true since democracy was invented.” – Carson Binda (30:10)
• On Absurd Spending:
  • “A $2,000 plaque to honor a dead raccoon on a Toronto city sidewalk.” – Carson Binda (32:10)
• On Bureaucratic Mindset:
  • “There's a ton of pressure on politicians to shake taxpayers upside down until our lunch money falls out of our pockets.” – Carson Binda (27:44)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• [00:38] — Opening theme, overview of Carney’s first year and poll surge
• [03:19] — Humorous “carny” analogy
• [04:39] — Polling breakdown: Liberal dominance and NDP collapse
• [06:54] — Focus on Boomer demographic, looming demographic shift
• [08:20] — Immigration acceleration, alleged manipulation for political gain
• [16:12] — Crime among non-citizens, media coverage critique
• [18:55] — Discussion of cultural assimilation, values, Sharia law
• [19:42] — Warning of upcoming tax changes affecting boomers
• [20:17] — “Dark Knight” quote analogy
• [20:54] — Start of Carson Binda interview (government waste)
• [24:10] — Recurring pattern of lavish government spending
• [26:16] — Winning accountability for taxpayers: gift card scandal
• [28:30] — Million-dollar revolving door story
• [32:10] — Dead raccoon commemorative plaque anecdote
• [32:33] — Carson Binda provides resource for further information
• [33:04] — Episode conclusion

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Conclusion

This episode is a polemical review of the Carney government’s performance, rife with sarcasm, cultural references, and warnings about the future of Canada’s fiscal and social landscape. It sharply criticizes immigration policies, media coverage, and government waste, calling for greater taxpayer vigilance. The interview with Carson Binda adds factual reporting and advocacy to the social commentary, underlining the theme that only public scrutiny—“sunlight”—can challenge unaccountable governance.

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Transcript

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You're listening to Rebel News podc.

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Tonight, the Mark Carney Liberals, AKA those who promise one thing but deliver something else, are allegedly surging in the polls. Why? It's Wednesday, March 11, 2026. I'm David Menzies and this is the Ezra Levent Show.

[B]

Shame on you.

[A]

You censo. Hard to believe, but next month will mark the one year anniversary of the Mark Carney Liberals winning the federal election. I guess time also flies when you're not having fun. And wow, did so many Canadians, especially those in the baby boomer demographic, fall for the hype and the bluster and the false promises of Mark Carney. You know, that he'd be the adult in the room when negotiating with US President Donald Trump regarding trade deals, and that Carney would be the strong man when dealing with that existential threat known as China. And some 11 months later, well, still no trade deal in sight with our largest trading partner. Maybe because Carney seems to go out of his way to incense President Trump from recognizing the fake state of Palestine to taking five, yes, count them, five positions on the Iranian war in the span of five days. As for China, ooh, all is forgiven. It would seem China is no longer that existential threat anymore, but a potential trading partner in Indeed, cheap Chinese EVs are headed to our once great dominion in the months ahead. And folks, there's a steak dinner in it for you if you can explain to me how importing el cheapo spy cars from China will somehow help our struggling domestic auto industry. Oh, and just yesterday it was announced that TikTok shall indeed continue to operate in Canada, business as usual under Chinese ownership. What happened there? In a way, Carney has lived up to his name. As in a carny on the carnival midway. Yes, the two words are spelt slightly differently, but the end result is more or less the same. Step right up and take your chances and play a game that is essentially rigged. Only two things scare me, and one is nuclear war.

[B]

What's the other?

[A]

Excuse me?

[B]

What's the other thing that scares you?

[A]

Carnies.

[B]

What?

[A]

Circus folk. Nomads, you know, Smell like cabbage. Small hands. Alas. And alack, in the department of perverse irony. It's too bad Mike Myers, who is himself a boomer, of course, also fell for Carney's pitch. Hook, line and stinker. But let me ask you, Mr. Prime

[B]

Minister, will there always be a Canada?

[A]

There will always be a Canada.

[B]

All right, elbows up.

[A]

Elbows up. Say, whatever happened to elbows up? Furthermore, isn't this the dumbest political slogan ever? Put your elbows up in a hockey game going into the boards and you're going to get a penalty. It's called elbowing, but never mind. The fact is, when it comes to Mark Carney, it's been all talk and no cattle, as they say out west. And yet, inexplicably, folks, polls indicate that the Carney Liberals are surging. A Few days ago, 338Canada CA noted that federal polls in the past week have shown continued momentum for the Liberals. The website notes, quote, the always much anticipated poll from Leger published by the National Post last week confirmed recent trends in favor of the Liberals. End quote. Translation? If an election were held today, the liberals would capture 49% of the vote versus 35% for the conservatives. Meanwhile, Jagmeet Singh's scorched earth policy to acquire a swank pension, well, it's garnering predictable results. Which is to say the NDP is now an irrelevant party attracting just 5% of the vote and might even be completely wiped out in the next election. That's saddening. No, I'm not saying this because I'm a Marxist, folks, but a weak NDP is never good news for Conservatives, as the party discovered last election. And when you analyze the polling region by region, a dire picture emerges, especially in the seat rich provinces of Ontario and Quebec. In Ontario, if you believe the data, the Liberals are ahead of the Conservatives 52% to 36%. In Quebec, the Liberals are ahead 48% to 20%. In fact, the Conservatives are still mired in third place in La Belle Provence after the block. And if these numbers are accurate, this is ominous. It makes me wonder, are Canadians so polite? We're all about truly rewarding failure. You know, kind of like how a football team in the CFL gets one point for a missed field goal. It's nuts. The Carney Liberals are all sizzle and no steak. By every benchmark. Unemployment, inflation, the number of Canadians using food banks and living in tent cities. Meanwhile, trillions of dollars in oil and gas wealth remain unexploited. But Carney's our man. And it all comes down to one particular demographic, it would seem. The baby boomers. The definition for baby boomers in Canada are those who were born between 1946 to 1965. By the way, that means I'm a baby boomer. And no, you cheeky monkeys, I was not born in 1946. I was born in 1962. Do you know the Leafs won the Stanley cup that year? Not that I remember that, of course, but it goes to show you how different the world was back when John Diefenbaker was Prime Minister. In any event, boomers constitute almost 25% of the population. That's a big voting base, second only to the Millennials. But getting young people to cast a ballot can be quite the task. Whereas older Canadians are far more committed to and in this file. Maybe many of them need to be committed, given the way they vote. But I jest. But here's the thing. The oldest boomers are now entering their 80s. That means in the years ahead, the liberals biggest base is literally going to die off. And while the Liberals may be evil. That's right, I said it. Evil. They're not stupid. They realize this generation has a best before date. Whereas an increasing number of young voters, at least the ones who do vote well, they are choosing the Conservative Party of Canada. So what to do? What to do? Here's what to do. Now you know why the Liberals are all in when it comes to mass migration. I reached out to my Indian source, Ted Smith. Not his real name of course, but Ted closely tracks immigration trends in Canada. It's pretty alarming. Ted notes that so far this year alone, the Liberals have handed out permanent residency to more than 1,000 people per day. Millions of people who are supposed to be leaving will instead be having anchor babies. Much like Jaskaret Singh Sidhu. He. He's the truck driver who destroyed so many lives when he blew through a stop sign in Saskatchewan and collided with a bus carrying the Humboldt Broncos hockey team. Naturally, according to the state funded mainstream media, Sidhu is the real victim in this story. And naturally, Sidhu will use his child, like so many others are, to exploit a loophole in the immigration system known as the Humanitarian and compassionate grounds visa in order to remain in Canada. Indeed, just last month I revisited beautiful Brampton, Ontario to take in yet another protest staged by mostly international students and temporary foreign workers who appear unable to understand the dictionary definition of the word temporary. Aided and abetted by the cat ladies heading up the Canadian Union of Public Employees. These people actually vilified Canada, noting that no one is illegal on stolen land and that Canada is full of racists and haters. Makes you kind of wonder who in their right mind would want to live in such an evil dominion. But never mind. Here, check out the video footage. Do you think it's true that nobody is illegal on stolen land? I just don't want to. Oh, okay. Oh, is it that white liberal woman with the kewpie flag? Hi, ma'. Am. Why are you telling this person not to speak to us? I don't consent to being on your goddamn show. I'm just asking questions. Sir, you are not pro immigrant. I remember a time when unions stood up for the workers instead of lowering living standards in the country. What happened? What does that sign mean? End Canada's racist immigration and refugee policy. Are you here for a little provocation? Pardon me? Are you here for a little provocation? No, I'm just asking question. A bunch of self entitled ingrates. You know, it's kind of funny. As my source notes, in late 2018, Justin Trudeau stated that an influx of Canadian male construction workers could have a gender impact, whatever that means. Still, we would need a gender based analysis to study that impact, if it even exists. Well, where is the study on the impact of importing large amounts of men from India, a country that Ted notes the UK's Guardian newspaper has labeled as the most dangerous country for women? Gaudi, I hope reciting such an impolite statistic doesn't put me in violation of Bill C9. We'll see. Ted also notes that many middle aged men from India are enrolled in child care courses. This is being done as a loophole to obtain permanent residency. Riddle me this. Is this the sort of $10 a day daycare system so many liberal women have long been championing? Yet coming across as anti immigrant is way, way too third rail for the train seals in the mainstream media. In addition to Sidhu being depicted as a victim rather than a killer, the state funded media turns a blind eye to stories that should be on the front page. Like how about in January of this year when an Indian man, Yaraj Singh, was arrested in Lethbridge, Alberta with five missing children in a hotel room. Those children were between the ages of 12 and 14 and one of the girls was intoxicated and had been sexually assaulted. Now folks, when I did a Google news search, I only found two brief local news items regarding this model non citizen. And again I ask, why is this gross and disturbing story not on the front page from coast to coast? And where oh where is the CBC by the way? One story concludes by noting quote, Singh is currently remanded in custody in B.C. and awaiting transport back to Alberta. End quote. Alberta. How about transport back to his homeland? Or are even alleged pedophiles not illegal on stolen land that is populated by racists and haters? The non citizen crime blotter is a lengthy one. Last week, two Indian men were arrested with 17.5 pounds of fentanyl. That's enough to kill 180,000 people, by the way. And yet, just two days ago, the federal Crown dropped charges against two other Indians caught with eight kilograms of fentanyl. Before the charges were dropped, the bail conditions were loose enough to allow for one of them to resume truck driving. I swear I'm not making this up. And of course, last week, tragically, a Punjabi woman, Nancy Graywall, 45, was stabbed to death in La Salle, Ontario, apparently for having the temerity that to speak out against the Khalistani movement. Unbelievable. As my source, Ted Smith remarks, between now and Remembrance Day, we will have 300,000 PRs. Granted. As you wear your poppy and reflect on the sacrifices of those that came before, may I ask, did they sacrifice themselves so Canada could Turn into the 29th state of India overrun with some of the most unscrupulous and callous people in the world? Wake up, Canada. End quote. That might sound harsh, but these aren't my words, folks. They're coming from Ted Smith. And Smith is an Indian immigrant who came to Canada decades ago through the proper channels. And he does note that the immigrants coming from India today, they're not doctors and lawyers and engineers. Rather, the lion's share are completely unskilled. And you know something? That's just how the Liberals like them. People dependent on the state to survive. People who need only fulfill their end of the bargain vis a vis citizenship by voting for Team Red every four years. Indeed, this might explain why the Liberals are so all in when it comes to mass migration that they are bending the rules to accommodate those who are not Canadian citizens. I mean, the examples abound. In fact, did you know that Liberal Party nomination meetings can be decided by non citizens? Oh, yes. Meaning non citizens can in theory determine who the next prime minister will be. Did you know the Liberals plan to bolster the Canadian military with foreigners? You know, there are more than 700 members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in Canada. Hey, if I'm a member of the irgc, military service in Canada looks a hell of a lot better than returning to Iran right now. As for our nation, hey, what could possibly go wrong? And another thing, what's the status regarding those Chinese police stations operating in China. Maybe this also explains why Carney says the most inexplicably stupid things like Muslim values are Canadian values. Really, Mr. Prime Minister, what does that mean exactly? Is Sharia law coming to Canada? Oh, don't scoff folks. There are some 85 Sharia courts in the UK. My boss, Ezra Levant feels Canada is but five years behind the UK. I think unfortunately he is right on the timeline regarding this file. But Liberals in Canada, like Democrats south of the border now put party before country. Oh, and one other inconvenient truth about Muslim values being Canadian values. I wonder if Carney has really thought this through. After all, one of his daughters is now a so called trans man, meaning she's pretending to be a he. I sincerely hope she he doesn't visit any Islamic nation. Because let's put it this way, she he probably doesn't have to purchase a return ticket. I should note, importing the world's impoverished to Canada is going to be incredibly expensive and someone must pay the piper at some point. Which is to say, hey baby boomers, buckle up, buttercup. What I'm getting at here, folks, is that a Liberal majority government in the years ahead might have no choice but to implement a capital gains tax on the primary residences of Canadians, the majority of which are ta da Boomers. Oh, there will be outrage 100%. Especially given the way so many boomers have propped up the Liberals as though they are members of some kind of a cult. But with boomers dying off, they are nevertheless a depreciating asset for the Liberal Party of Canada when it comes to future ballot box turnout. So much for loyalty, eh? You know, the Liberals backstabbing their baby boomer base in the near future reminds me perhaps of the most chilling scene in the 2008 masterpiece the Dark Knight. Don't talk like one of them. You're not. Even if you'd like to be. To them, you're just a freak like me. They need you right now. When they don't, they'll cast you out like a leper. See, their morals, their code, it's a bad joke dropped at the first sign of trouble. They're only as good as the world allows them to be. I'll show you. When the chips are down, these civilized people, they'll eat each other. Bottom line. Wake up, Boomer, or the joke's gonna be on you. You know, folks, I don't care if you love or hate Elon Musk. I don't care if you are still suffering from Trump Derangement syndrome. But the Fact is we desperately, desperately need a department of Government Efficiency in Canada, AKA Doge. Egregious examples of wasteful government spending abound. The latest example, well, the BC government thought it was somehow fiscally responsible to spend $35,000 for an open bar for bureaucrats to enjoy at a reception in Victoria. Unbelievable. And with more on this affront and more to taxpayers is Carson Binda, B.C. director for the Canadian Taxpayers Federation. Carson, thank you so much for joining me. One, the fiscal carnage never ends. But as I said to you off camera, the saddest thing about this is a mere $35,000 being wasted. That's like chump change when we're talking hundreds of thousands and often millions of dollars when it comes to government. Can you give us the details about this taxpayer funded reception for bureaucrats?

[B]

Yeah, absolutely. And thank you so much for having me on the show today. We uncovered through freedom of Information requests, documents that show the B.C. government budgeted $35,000 for an open bar reception at a fancy Victoria resort last March. Now the records say that this reception was to hand out coronation medals to deserving government employees. But look, bear in mind, the feds handed out about 30,000 of these coronation medals across the country. Not exactly a great huge deal. Most of the ceremonies happened at legion halls, community centers, government buildings, certainly not luxurious Victoria resorts. And what jumped out at me here was the bar tab. 42 glasses of sparkling wine, 6 shots of tequila, 10 shots Jack Daniels whiskey, 19 glasses of white wine, 13 glasses of red wine, 10 glasses of rose, Moscow mules, margaritas, literally dozens of other beer wines and spirits. Now this is coming at a time when the B.C. government just released this, the worst budget in our province's history. $30 billion of new debt taxes through the roof for families and small businesses. Meanwhile, the bureaucrats are billing us 35 grand for fancy wine and cheese receptions. It is outrageous.

[A]

Well, Carson, I've got two thoughts. One, since you mentioned Jack Daniels, that's Kentucky bourbon. I'm now envious because in Ontario we've been deprived that the little people by Premier Ford. And so I guess it pays to be a bureaucrat. You get exempted from the anti American trade rhetoric, but you, I don't know if you guys thought about this, but you know what struck me? Given government being government and given government so beholden to lawyers, I'm surprised alcohol was served in the first place. Not because they didn't want to wine and dine their bureaucrats, but based on maybe a legal opinion like Mr. Premier, if we get people Sloshed. We might be responsible for owner occupied prior litigation if there's an accident afterwards. So just for that reason, you know, the wrong reason for not having alcohol. I'm surprised that didn't go ahead. What are your thoughts, Carson?

[B]

Well, I'm glad you brought up the American bourbon comment because this party happened just one day after Premier David Eby ordered American booze off liquor store shelves. So bourbon for we, not for the taxpayer. D It's absolutely bizarre and you're right. But this isn't a one off of BC bureaucrats blowing big money on boozy receptions. Unfortunately, this is part of a pattern that we've seen time and time again from the B.C. government. Just last week, my team at the Canadian Taxpayers Federation released documents that showed two B.C. ministers to build us for a $3,900 happy hour in Amsterdam. So time and time again, David EB's bureaucrats and cabinet ministers are slapping tapped out taxpayers with big bills for boozy parties.

[A]

You know, I really want, I'd love to see the invoices for that $3,900 happy hour in Amsterdam, given that city has a red light district. But anyway, who am I to pry? And you know, here's the thing. I think you guys at the Taxpayers Federation, Carson, you do incredible work. Not a week it seems goes by when you don't thanks to freedom of information because the government isn't happy to share this information, expose some egregious spending spree. Here's my question. These governments, and we're talking the federal government, provincial, municipal, they get continually PR black eyes. Do you ever get any results? Do you ever get a mea culpa? Do you ever get government promising we're gonna spend more responsibility? Do you ever get government saying we're gonna personally refund that bar bill? Or is this just ranting against the wind here?

[B]

Yeah, no, absolutely. And let me give you a really good example of how our tax fighting army got real accountability with one of these spending scandals here in BC. Through freedom of information requests, we were able to prove that B.C. bureaucrats were giving themselves secret bonuses by buying expensive gift cards to high end sporting goods stores, Amazon, Walmart and other businesses. We exposed that through freedom of information requests. Thanks to support from tax fighters across the country, we published those documents and as a result, the B.C. government has canceled the gift card for bureaucrat program. That happened because of our tax fighting army from coast to coast to coast. And it wouldn't have happened if we weren't able to file those freedom of information requests. And show that that bureaucrats were giving themselves secret gift card bonuses.

[A]

That's fantastic. So in other words, exposure can act as a sanitizing process in terms of government being more fiscally responsible. And, you know, that's the thing. You know, Carson, I truly miss the late, great Rob Ford, the former mayor of Toronto, not so much his brother, the current premier of Ontario, but that's another story. But I think the reason why he won by a landslide in 2010 is that he coined, and it wasn't just words. He led by example, what I think is the greatest political slogan of our early, respect for taxpayers. And he meant what he said. He always thought Toronto had a spending problem as opposed to a revenue problem. It sure worked for Rob Ford. Why can't we see more politicians across the nation following in those footsteps?

[B]

Well, because I think there are so many vested interests pushing politicians to spend, spend, spend, whether it's the bureaucrats, the unions. There's a ton of pressure on politicians to shake taxpayers upside down until our lunch money falls out of our pockets. But that's why it's so important that we get taxpayers, viewers of your show, folks, engaged. We arm them with the knowledge to hold government accountable. So I think that's the key. Arm yourself with the knowledge. Watch programs like this one. Learn about the ways politicians and bureaucrats are blowing your hard earned money and hold them accountable for it.

[A]

And you know, I got to tell you, Carson, I don't know if you saw this report, but last week we exposed the fact that Durham Region's headquarters in Whitby, Ontario, they installed. And I'm not making this up, a $1 million revolving door. Now I'm not. I know, and I'm not a door expert, but I read the comments and contractors were saying, Dave, it's 50,000 tops. So in other words, 50,000 for the door and the labor to put the door in. 950,000 in kickbacks. And what I found really rich when I reached out to the region, their media affairs department, they said, well, you should know that almost half a million dollars of this was paid for by the federal government. Carson, who cares? There's just one taxpayer, right?

[B]

Yeah, no, you're absolutely right. And look, here's what gets me about stories just like that. Every dime that goes towards wasteful spending like this is money that's not keeping our streets safe. It's money that's not keeping life affordable for taxpayers. So these have real consequences for the folks like you and I were being

[A]

stuck with the bill 100%. But here's the good news epilogue to that. We did a follow up, and within days of our piece airing, and full disclosure, maybe it's a complete coincidence, but Durham region announced that starting next year, they are hiring an auditor general to cut spending. So again, to your point of exposing these examples of egregious spending, sometimes there is a happy ending, wouldn't you say?

[B]

Absolutely. Look, sunlight sanitizes spending scandals that's been true since democracy was invented. And so, folks, arm yourselves with that knowledge. Look into government spending, because what you'll find is shocking. From boozing happy hours to expensive doors. The waste doesn't end.

[A]

Incredible. We're running out of racetrack here, Carson. But let's end it on what I thought was the most perversely amusing example of outrageous government spending. It's right here in Toronto. A plaque went up commemorating a dead raccoon and our city. I don't know if you've ever spent time in Toronto. We're overrun by raccoons. I mean, the Toronto raccoon is a different subspecies. They're bigger, they live longer, they're fatter, they have bigger litters. They basically go around the garbage cans like somebody at a Mandarin restaurant. And I guess what I'm getting at, Carson, if this was some exceptional raccoon, you know, a raccoon that was known for, say, riding a bicycle. Yeah, I get it. It's. But it was just a big, fat raccoon that dropped dead on a city sidewalk. Why, on the taxpayer dime, are we honoring a dead pest, essentially?

[B]

Oh, this is something we've asked time and time again. Look, my family's from rural Saskatchewan. In my neck of the woods, folks tend to shoot raccoons if they're getting into the garbage or whatever. I understand that's frowned upon in Toronto and where I'm now in Vancouver, but look. Yeah, you hit the nail on the head. A fat raccoon dropped dead on a Toronto city sidewalk. And city bureaucrats decided to commemorate this deep loss to the folks of Toronto with a $2,000 plaque. Think about that for a second. A $2,000 plaque to honor a dead raccoon on a Toronto city sidewalk. Folks, I want you to think about that next time you go to file your property taxes.

[A]

Oh. Which have gone up by double digits under Mayor Olivia Chow in Toronto. Great point, Carson. Let's end it with this. Where can our viewers find your great work at the Taxpayers Federation?

[B]

Well, that's very kind of you to say. If you want to follow our work, head over to taxpayer.com. that's taxpayer.com and that's where you can stay up to date on all of our breaking waste stories and find out how you can join the taxpayer army to hold government accountable.

[A]

Fantastic, Carson. And I'll leave it with this. Sadly, there's no shortage in stories in which you uncover just unbelievable shenanigans at the taxpayer dime. Carson Binda, thank you so much for your time, sir.

[B]

Thanks for having me.