If the taxman can’t pay their bills on time, what hope is there for the rest of us?.Blacklock’s Reporter said Revenue Minister Diane Lebouthillier reported to Parliament her own agency defaulted on more than $200,000 in credit charges, run up on government-issued credit cards used by employees..Lebouthillier said in the period from January 1, 2017 to April 28, 2021 a total 478 charges went into default at the Canada Revenue Agency, with a value of unpaid balances of $207,352..The cost of defaults government-wide over the period totaled more than $3.9 million..Staff who misused cards or skipped payments were asked to refund the money but unpaid charges were ultimately billed to taxpayers..Numerous audit reports have cited federal departments and agencies with poor management of charge cards..The disclosures followed a request from Conservative MP Earl Dreeshen (Red Deer-Mountain View, Alta.) on “how many instances have occurred where government-issued credit cards were defaulted on,” with “total value of the balances defaulted on.”. Taxman defaults on more than $207K in bills .The Department of Foreign Affairs admitted 271 separate defaults worth $574,713..“The department maintains high standards in the management of government-issue credit cards,” wrote staff..The department had a total 3,790 charge cards in circulation among diplomats..Other defaults included:.• $2,113,379 at the Correctional Service involving 2,721 separate charges;• $135,964 at the Department of Health;• $101,066 at the Privy Council Office;• $90,515 at the Department of Employment..A 2019 audit at the employment department found less than a third of charge-card spending, 30%, was approved beforehand. A total of 19% of invoices had errors in approval..A separate 2019 audit at the National Research Council found employees who had been issued credit cards shared them with coworkers, breached $10,000 spending limits and made unauthorized purchases of items like souvenirs that were forbidden under Treasury Board policy..Federal records show suspiciously high charges in the waning days of each fiscal year ending March 31..“We note the increased pressure to spend budgets at fiscal year-end was one of the main contributing factors,” said a 2019 audit..Dave Naylor is the News Editor of the Western Standard.,dnaylor@westernstandardonline.com,.Twitter.com/nobby7694
