Is that true though? The impression I've gotten after many years on the forum is that these numbers are leaked to the "insiders", or whisper numbers, but nobody really knows for sure. I've always wondered how that works as some players like QBs we tend to all know the $$, but many players we just have no clue.
If it's not "policed" or "official", what is to keep a wily GM from just lying (early in FA/re-signings for max effect) to force other GMs to overpay?
The CFL, and GMs are all privy to contract information. The player agents are aware, obviously, what their own players make. The circle is small though and player agents talk amongst themselves almost certainly. There wouldn't be too many players they wouldn't be aware of what they are making. The GMs do not get the information on what team is offering what, they get the info after the contract is signed and ratified by the league. It is the player agents that leak the salary info out to the media. The reason you outlined above is precisely why CFL GMs have the info on each player after each of them is ratified. The CFL would gain nothing by allowing GMs to bluff like that, and they would gain nothing by releasing contract numbers out to the public either although the latter would not be nearly as big a deal.