Angry in the Great White North takes a look at just how hard up MPs are, salary-wise, since apparently the government can’t afford to give Canadians a break at the pump on gas taxes, to help take the edge off of high gas prices.
Those taxes are needed, in part, to increase the travel allowance of MPs and senior civil servants by 10%, so that they aren’t unduly troubled by those same high gas prices that are killing the rest of us.
Angry yet?
Well, to be fair to the Liberals, all MPs get the same break. I’d like to see the Conservative caucus make a public show of under-reporting their mileage expenses in order to make a point. It’s not like that money would come back to Canadians, but sometimes symbolic gestures matter.
The NDP? I assume they don’t submit expenses, ever, so that the government has more money to spend on social programs. I’m sure that’s what they do.
The Liberal Party of Canada=Stuck on Stupid
Canada: Envy of the World (3 In Top 10)
Vancouver in Canada has been nominated as the world’s most liveable city by a by the Economist Intelligence Unit.
Vancouver eclipsed 127 other cities in the new survey that looked at a wide range of criteria, including personal risk, healthcare, the availability of goods and services, and climate.
Vancouver has topped the United Nations quality of life survey for nearly a decade.
Condй Nast Traveller, which describes the Canadian metropolis as a “perfect Pacific city, shimmering on the edge of a beautiful harbour” last year ranked Vancouver the ‘Best City in the Americas’.
“There are hardly any problems in Canada, and even less in Vancouver,” said Jon Copestake, editor of the Economist Intelligence Unit (EUI), which commissioned the research.
“Hardly any factors in Vancouver present challenges – crime no, transportation, not really.”
Will Ferguson, the Canadian writer and author of Beauty Tips from Moose Jaw, is quoted as saying: “Vancouver is the envy of all Canadian cities.
“There are five steps in Canadian life. First, you hate Toronto, second, you move to Toronto. Third, you wish you moved to Vancouver, and fourth, you stay in Toronto. Then you hate Vancouver.”
Toronto was ranked number nine in the survey.
The Top 10 cities are: Vancouver (Canada), Melbourne (Australia), Vienna (Austria), Geneva (Switzerland), Perth (Australia), Adelaide (Australia), Sydney (Australia), Zurich (Switzerland), Toronto (Canada), Calgary (Canada).
I take my 6 year old grandson skating every Sunday
afterwards we go to a small restaurant and get a hot dog and fries, this will be our third year and the Grand total for this extravegance is about $5.00. My wife told me last Sunday that we have to stop the Hotdog and fries. We need to cut back on some stuff.
I am so glad that MP’s aren’t hurting and are getting compensated with my tax $’s. Too bad for Rudy though he not as important as those very important people in the government.
Of course if they cut taxes and spent less on the Dingwalls and Ads for Quebec maybe the kid could keep his Sunday after skating hotdog.
Oh we by the way we live in Vancouver.
Sad, isn’t it Jeff? You are cutting back on dogs and fries to make ends meet while the freeloading trough hogs are sending you the tab for $100.00 pizzas and $5000.00 “power lunches”.
Yup. Gotta look after those important government people.
There is no surplus, only over-taxation. Glad the Libs are spending my taxes on helping those who don’t pay taxes anyway and get help in all areas of their lives. I give to plenty of charities of MY choice. The fall-in-line MSM have jumped on this ‘share the surplus’ theme. God, it is sickenig. And Jeff, I’m in Vancouver too. THought they were talking about Vancouver Washington. I’m not living in Nirvana by any stretch of the imagination. Obviously, culture played no role whatsoever in the survey. This place is the most soul-less city I’ve ever lived in. But at least it doesn’t snow.
While I’m hopeful the Liberals will be booted from office, I won’t be surprised that when I turn on the tv after returning from the polling station (I hail from Alberta), a beaming Lloyd Robertson will be declaring “Paul Martin has held on to power”. It will be the same old, same old – Craig Oliver, Robertson and of course Peter Mansbridge will be glowing, barely able to conceal their erections from behind thier news desks as they wax joyvial about the exciting new programs Martin and Co. have promissed the gullible Ontario electorate.
Sound familiar?
This place is the most soul-less city I’ve ever lived in. That is the most perfect discription of this city I have ever heard.
I preface what I’m saying by noting I’m not a federal civil servant. Please note that the car allowance increase is to cover the cost of using a private motor vehicle (normally on an occasional basis) on the Queen’s business, not for private pleasure.
The taxpayer actually saves money by doing this, as the alternative is the (usually) more expensive method of renting a car to attend an out of town meeting.
Surely you are not suggesting that an employee of the Crown should have to subsidize the government for doing government work? That would not be reasonable. Attack the government for its grotesque waste; I’m with you there. But this increase is not unreasonable, in the circumstances. It’s a proper business expense.
Yes, John the M. I’m certain the car allowance is only paid for “government” business and not for private use. The federal liberals have repeatedly pointed out to all of us how they distinguish between government business and personal expenses. Gum, for instance, would be government business. Taking your “driver” to your little love nest in Paris? Legitimate business expense, of course. The red mafia is so far out of touch with the people of this country that they can no longer resist wallowing in the public trough. Luckily, they have enough tax revenue to continue to wallow and still buy enough votes in central Canada to remain in power.
And now they’re going to pay back taxpayers with any money that exceeds the “projected” surplus? I don’t suppose they would adjust their projections depending on whether they needed more money or more votes, would they? Surely not……
John the mad; This ‘allowance’ for traveling is just ONE thing our MPs do that can be targeted by the lowly peons (us, the taxpayers); it applies to all MPs so it is ‘safe’ to ‘diss’. The corrupt Liberano thugs are distroying our country though co-operation with China, Cuba, Marice Strong and his ‘ilk’, and every thuggish dictator in Africa. Not to mention the Liberano/Bloc ‘hero’ worship of France and any nation that speaks French. The $$$ spent propping up the agenda of the impoverishment and subsequent enslavement of all peons is far more relevent. If we had a tax revolt, as we should, then fur would fly and we would see how our money is being spent by the criminals in power. If a person looks at the gas prices with an open mind it is a very simple supply and demand issue – if we look at MPs travel allowance it is the same. What explains a decision of a government with a HUGE over taxation ‘surplus’that refuses to elimitate taxes on fuel in a cold country then you begin to ask ‘Who’s side are these elected public servants on’?? The NDP/Liberans/Bloc really have the same agenda – have you heard Jacko or the Bloc suggest eliminating taxes on fuel? No, I wonder why not?
Why is it soooo nicy-nicy to get a cheque from the government? Grow up Canada or you will be doomed to nursery force- feeding. Go to a forced feeding chicken plant to have a look at how pleasant that type of existance might be – or read a Solzinitzn book.
Where I live, gas prices went up 3 cents overnight(last night) and I understand that oil prices have been flat or dropping for the last two or three days. Drop in demand, the experts say , is affecting the price of oil. So why the increased gouging at the pumps?
Oh, yeah, to pay MP’s expenses.
$300.00 bottles of wine with lunch (no receipt)
“Lunch allowance”
Typical day at the office for the thieving elitist liberal overlords.
Anyone who reads my blog understands my anger at the Liberals for their waste and corruption and I understand the reaction is to a large degree frustration and disgust boiling over at the politicians.
The increase in the car allowance by Treasury Board mostly affects civil servants who are going about the Queen’s business and is calculated on the basis of the actual cost to operate a private motor vehicle. The more kilometres you drive, the less per kilometre you get, as certain fixed costs are paid for.
As a matter of principle a person employed by the government should not have to subsidize his employment costs from his paycheque. An employee of a corporation doesn’t have to do that and their allowances are usually even more generous.
In Ontario by the way a civil servant gets but $.33 per kilometre.
As for politicians, there is a great demand for them (Conservatives too) to show up at many events in their ridings. It is not unreasonable that they get compensated for travel to those events.
I’ll save my rants for the gun registry, high taxes, obscene surpluses, kickback schemes et al.
John the Mad: If you are employed by a private co. in Canada. Revenue Can. permits 36 cents per klik. anything over e.g 50 cents a la Feds is a taxable benefit paid by you or your company. If you have a private buiness its 39 cents anything more taxed. Feds are exempt from this all 308 members and more than 206,000 civil servants. And you defend this?
“In Ontario by the way a civil servant gets but $.33 per kilometre.”
Maybe. But too many of those I dealt with would drive the shortest route from Point A to B while claiming for the longest route.
Hongcouver?
Having grown up in the “real” Vancouver, 41st and Granville area, I do miss the trees and greenery. That I give to Vancouver. But I don’t miss the rain, the traffic and the union mentality. I remember back in the 80’s almost every time I flew/drove back to visit my Mom something was on strike. If not the bus drivers, the garbage, if not the dock workers, the something else.
Vancouver definatetly is blessed with natural beauty – everything one could want, ocean front, mountains, plains, mild temperature, lack of snow, and an hour any direction escapes the crowds.
But Vancouver has no soul as one poster hit the nail on the head. When I go there, I don’t sense something that speaks of that city. More or less it is a welfare town for druggies and lowlifes. I remember when I could walk down Granville Mall and see stores and MacDonalds was neat and clean…
I remember I could drive from 41st and Granville to Burnaby in 15-20 mins. Now I’m lucky to drive 5 blocks on Broadway in that time frame.
cheers
tom