Carol Goar, on the Editorial Board of the Canadian paper The Star, writes about one man’s research on corporate welfare in Canada:
So who gains from his long-entrenched practice? The big winners, obviously, are the recipients of government subsidies. But there are other beneficiaries: vote-seeking politicians who want to look like they’re “doing something” for the economy and lobbyists who make a bundle vying for a share of the spoils for their corporate clients.
Who loses? Taxpayers top Milke’s list; it’s their money that is being doled out. Other losers include companies trying to compete without subsidies, innovators trying to carve out a niche in a skewed market and consumers who pay inflated prices.