Red Tory v.2.0
Gosh, I'm hungry now.
Very unPC of me, but I wonder what M. Portelance (interesting name) looks like. It has been hard not to notice how some of our former Ontario cabinet ministers -- Flaherty notably, who used to have such a lean and hungry look -- have kind of, um, filled out since they went to Ottawa. They've got me imagining that everyone in Ottawa eats filet three times a day.
He looks pretty well-fed: http://www.grenier.qc.ca/images/pm5.jpg
I don't know if I really care about this. Thanks to adopting corporate management schemes, our crown corporations are marketed and managed in the same way as a public corporation.
I wonder if any of the people who are angry about this are angry about say... the $500 000 box seats at hockey games purchased by companies like Shell Oil? What about business expense and PR stuff like that? Where could they cut costs to ensure the consumer a lower price?
Par for the course, indeed.
I don’t really see it as a big deal either. I just figured it would have the usual suspects with their shorts in a knot, taking the opportunity to call for the dismantling the CBC, whining about the pernicious “culture of entitlement” and so on.
My only criticism is that for a corporation that’s always pleading poverty, it just doesn’t look good. You'd think CBC executives would be more sensitive to the fact there are plenty of critics waiting to pounce on things such as this to support their demands it be scrapped.
ADSCAM ADSCAM!!! They'll cry.
Ahem... Bev Oda... our lady of the limousine.
Feb 06, 2007 04:30 AM
RICHARD BRENNAN
OTTAWA BUREAU
OTTAWA–Heritage Minister Bev Oda was accused yesterday of taking Canadian taxpayers for a ride at the Juno awards last year in Halifax, where she racked up almost $5,500 in limousine expenses in four days.
Puts things in perspective, doesn't it?
It is bad, but it comes from "bubble living". Each of us on a computer here in Canada has our own bubble we live in, where daily Internet use is commonplace to the point where we're offended if it goes away without us wanting it to, even for a few hours. Yet the standard for most of the world is no daily Internet, and at best an Internet cafe or library providing access a few minutes at a time.
It's the same thing as buying a $700 meal. If you routinely spend more than $100 on a meal (good golly that's pricey) then $700 isn't unusual for a "special occasion". Yet in reality, a special occasion meal for most Canadians would cost $100 or much less. I'd say "different strokes for different folks", except that's our tax money we're talking about. It's obscene if Shell Oil, or the CBC does it. Not much can justify that much spent on one person, on one meal. It almost makes me feel ridiculous over being concerned about the exorbitant $14/day I'd get to cover lunches when I was on the road for my job.
Yet, I suppose it should make me feel proud that I was concerned enough to feel concern. Apparently, CBC execs feel nothing.
As someone who works in Corporate Canada, I can tell you that this is not a big deal. We spent 15k one night last year to take some customers to an Oilers Game.
RT,
The paragon of virtue, our own CBC, should do a little more of this. They bought the Beijing Olympics, might as well spend some of that taxpayer money at home (more or less).
Give me more! I want $500 bottles of wine, I want cute secretary's with married men, I want...
...the CBC to eat a little humble pie. OK, a lot of humble pie.
Tomm
Tomm
But the corporate system is the most beautiful and efficient way of doing business! Why should corporate CBC behave in any different way than say... Suncor... or Micky D's?
After all, corporations are the most efficient and productive way of doing business...
Aren't they?
Ryan,
A subtle difference, I am not obligated to pay the salary and expenses of any given company VP, I have a choice who I do business with and who I buy shares in.
The guy working for the public broadcaster knows I'm on the hook for the 7K, and does it anyway.
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