The B.C. Ministry of Children and Family Development is facing criticism after demanding over $1,100 from a taxpayer watchdog group to access records detailing government spending on cigarettes and other tobacco products.The Canadian Taxpayers Federation says it filed a freedom of information request seeking documents on how much the ministry has spent on tobacco. Rather than releasing the records, the ministry responded with a fee estimate of $1,110, claiming it would take 40 hours of staff time to retrieve the receipts.“It’s hard to imagine why the Ministry for Children and Family would buy cigarettes and other tobacco products, but it’s absolutely unacceptable for the bureaucracy to make taxpayers pay to get the documents,” said Carson Binda, the CTF’s B.C. director..The CTF requested a fee waiver, arguing the information is clearly in the public interest. The ministry agreed to a partial reduction, cutting the fee to $555, but has not waived it entirely.Binda said the group is now pursuing further legal action to compel the full release of the records without cost. “The ministry clearly agrees that it’s in the public’s interest to know how much tobacco is being bought by the children’s ministry,” he said. “Minister Jodie Wickens must immediately release these records and be open with taxpayers.”
