Notes from the Enron School of Accounting;
We don’t know the travel expense breakdowns, as between airfares and hotels for instance, because the CSA is exempted from the Freedom of Information Act as well as the transparency and accountability requirements standard to other government entities. So we ran the numbers we did have. It turned out that the CSA’s 2013 travel budget would cover 74,256 return airfares from CSA’s Toronto office to Ottawa each year. That’s 297 return airfares to Ottawa per workday or, if you prefer, its 12 return trips per hour, every hour, on a 24 hour day, each workday, for a full year.
The answer to this is so obvious – just as the answer to the High River RCMP break-ins or CBC budget padding is obvious. Do we have a conservative majority government which promotes individual freedom, free markets and small non aggressive bureaucracy? It seems not.
Every time there is an opportunity to act as conservatives we here crickets chirping. I think “incrementalism” is just cover for another lethargic top-down Ottawa-ized political machine which represents special interests and not main street.
Occam;
It is very unfortunate that after considerable time in government that the CPC has failed to eliminate much graft and corruption in federal government. This government advertises itself as having a philosophical commitment to fiscal responsibility and prudence. I am not involved in the Party much anymore but I have not seen a dedication to this principal or a process within the Party of achieving it.
Along with financial responsibility the Party also requires an ability to defend the philosophy the Party is built on. Many pundits claim that the CPC is ran by the Reformers such as Harper who led the reuniting of the conservative movement. IMHO if this is the case then this group has failed. The core principals of Reform are gone. Any movement that gains power eventually will be infiltrated by those who wish to influence the political direction or simply want to personally benefit from government largesse. No citizen should think Mike Duffy is unique. This corruption is not unique to the CPC.
After many years I have concluded that there is a very sizeable segment of our society who find their way in life by accessing their livelihood from taxpayers. Some feel they provide value for what they do but many cynically take what they can get. Whether a civil servant, politican or welfare recipient they are paid by the taxpayer. The discipline of balanced budgets is gone. All judgements are relative. This is very fertile soil for those who want to ‘get theirs’ as accountability does not really exist.
I anticipate a very desperate federal election campaign. IMO the CPC is far more confident than is warranted. It is highly likely if they survive it will be a minority government. Perhaps a kick in the ass is what is needed.
it has been my observation that all government is inherently corrupt. anyone who runs for office on the promise of giving one segment of the population something that they will take from another segment of the population, is corrupt. that they are even willing to do so shows how corrupt their thinking is.
“…there is a very sizeable segment of our society who find their way in life by accessing their livelihood from taxpayers…”
Absolutely. A little more than 1 in 5 Canadians is employed by a municipal, provincial, or federal government. Now, add to that the considerable number in the private sector that is employed on government contracts, the pensioners, the chronically disabled, the seasonally unemployed, welfare recipients and the parasites who subsist on government grants, and you have to wonder why the whole system hasn’t come crashing down long ago.
From the perspective of politicians and their advisors, this collection doesn’t represent a liability, but rather, an election goldmine.
So, I guess I’ve kind of strayed off topic…but maybe not that far.
Yeah, generally politicians are like diapers, they need to be changed often…for the same reasons.
Only problem here is despite the CPC failings….the alternative is that fool Turdeau and his LIBRANO kleptocrats or angry Tom with his fools and kleptocrats…..IOW Morontario writ REAL large……
Occam &CT; YEP
U want the CPC back in minority with (Angry) Tom and (Hair) Justin blowing in his ear?
Piffle.
CN-CP are making record profits, while blaming cold winter for being unable to move grain.
Premo Gas in the US is $1/liter, we pay avg. $1.48/liter
ain’t just income tax that Ottawa reaps….