One department...one company...one hundred thousand dollars worth of promo items

Last year the CTF documented how over $4 million was spent by Manitoba Crown Corporations and various other boards and agencies on promotional giveaway items - even though most enjoy monopolies.

This year we looked into how much one department - the Department of Competitiveness, Training and Trade - has been spending on promo items.

From January 1, 2006 to February 3, 2009, the Department purchased a little over $100,000 worth of promo items from just one company.

Here are some of the highlights:

18,000+ Pens and highlighters
14,000 Tatoos
240 Navy conference bags
525 Tote bags
25 Designer business card holders
1,000 Wristbands
251 Swivel flash drives
9 Techno lite reversible vests
9 Denim shirts
9 Microfibre fleeces
9 Mens mini Ottoman polos
2,500 Lip balms
86 Executive umbrellas
1 "Underarm portfolio black navigator supple leather"

The FOI response, inluding copies of all receipts can be viewed here:

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4