Vinick opposes federal funding for ethanol as an alcohol fuel, considering it a political boondoggle. Opposition Liberal and New Democratic Party politicians called it a boondoggle and a sinkhole. His successor Jane Stewart took the brunt of the "billion-dollar boondoggle" scandal. A boondoggle is a scheme that wastes time and money. Current Nalcor Energy CEO Stan Marshall has described the project as a boondoggle. Financially, the venture proved to be a boondoggle. "The Water Tunnel Boondoggle" (5/13/14. It was widely viewed at the time as a huge boondoggle. Many saw it as a boondoggle to benefit one particular group. The "Grand Easterly" was a boondoggle, however, suffering from several design flaws. During the Great Depression, Stryker's use made popular the word "boondoggle".