Maple candy, bamboo toothbrushes and even flying saucers — federal departments and Crown corporations have spent roughly $13 million on promotional merchandise since 2022, according to government data obtained by the Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF).
The 900-page disclosure, released in response to an Order Paper question from Conservative MP Michelle Rempel Garner (Calgary Nose Hill), shows that virtually every corner of government found creative ways to put its logo on goods ranging from socks to beeswax wraps.
The RCMP topped the list with nearly $4 million in spending, followed by Canadian Heritage at $2 million and National Defence at $1.4 million. Smaller agencies also joined in — Export Development Canada paid for “climate-change card games” and branded apples, while Canada Lands Company spent $1,800 on “flying saucers.”
“It’s like the government had a contest to see which department could come up with the dumbest way to spend taxpayers’ money,” said Franco Terrazzano, CTF’s federal director. “Carney said he’s going to cut waste, and if he’s serious, this spending spree should be on the chopping block.”
The CTF says the findings reveal widespread waste at odds with Prime Minister Mark Carney’s cost-cutting pledge.