The Trudeau government has quietly funnelled millions into taxpayer-funded podcasts from federal departments, with questionable returns.
Documents obtained by the Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) reveal how departments have hired full-time staff and spent lavishly on podcasts with minimal reach, with topics ranging from “gender identity” to “systemic racism.”
Among the biggest spenders, Statistics Canada’s “Eh Sayers” podcast—featuring 21 episodes since 2021—has cost taxpayers nearly $1 million, despite only 229 estimated subscribers.
With each subscriber costing taxpayers $4,241, this podcast alone exemplifies what the CTF calls a “make-work project” for bureaucrats.
One episode even opened with a “drag story time” reading by a “drag king,” raising eyebrows over the relevance of such content to public service.
Canadian Heritage’s “CCI and CHIN: In Our Words” podcast fared no better. Between 2019 and 2021, it produced seven episodes at $22,000 per episode, adding up to over $155,000.
Costs included $9,000 for “podcast training and consulting,” while Immigration and Public Health Agency podcasts each dedicated multiple full-time employees to their productions.
The issue isn’t limited to podcasting: with many departments omitting employee salaries from the costs, the true expense is likely far higher. CTF Federal Director Franco Terrazzano criticized the spending spree, saying, “Canadians need the government delivering passports, not podcasts.”
These podcasts reflect misplaced priorities in a government now over $1 trillion in debt.
“With massive deficits and soaring debt, these taxpayer-funded podcasts should be the first thing on the chopping block,” Terrazzano concluded.
