Shedding some light on salaries
New Brunswick Annual Public Accounts Salary Disclosure Report Reveals Questionable Uses of Taxpayers’ Money
Year after year, the public service sees its ‘$100,000 club’ grow (as we saw with James Hughes et al. today), while all New Brunswick taxpayers see are bigger tax bills in the mail. Well, this year is no exception, but unfortunately for NBers, there are some who cashed in on our hard-earned tax dollars on the way out the door [list below from the Telegraph]:
- Marie-France Pelletier left Fredericton with the largest total deal, worth $201,896. Pelletier served as former premier Bernard Lord's deputy chief of staff until January 2006 when she took over as the deputy minister of policy and priorities, which is responsible for co-ordinating the government's policy agenda. The last year that her salary appears in Lord's office, she made $96,071.
- Rodney Weston, Lord's former chief of staff, earned $178,883 from the Office of the Premier in 2006-07 compared to $132,815 in the previous year. Weston served temporarily in the opposition leader's office after the election, earning $32,781.
- Barbara Winsor's final salary as president of NB Liquor was $154,008, up from $137,961 in the previous year. Winsor served as Lord's chief of staff after the 1999 election campaign victory.
- Bill Thompson, the former deputy minister of energy who also served in senior positions within the Lord government during its transition into power in 1999, collected $146,500 in the last fiscal year, an increase from $132,815 in the previous year.
- Yassin Choukri, the former deputy minister of justice who earlier worked in the premier's office and was also a former law partner with Lord, earned $141,943 last year compared to $117,806 in 2005-06.
8 Comments:
When are canadians going to get guts enough to get rid of these crooks we have in polotics? We are taxed to the limit, in fact taxes are where these outlaws get the thousands of dollars they hand out to other crooks in politics.
One consolation if they get away with it in this life, they are going to face a judge that they won't be able to buy out with their stolen money.
They didn't break any laws anon. However, you are right, this ethos of entitlement (of our money)in Fredericton, by all mainstream parties, must come to an end.
Unfortunately, that won't happen anytime soon without both the political will of some members and solid legislation put forward in favour of transparency, accountability and fiscal restraint.
The problem with our political system is the patronage system. With each government comes a crowd of parasites who suck up the high paying public jobs. This happens in Ottawa as well as Fredericton. Why else would the CEO of NB Liquor be the former executive director of the NB Liberal Party?
It is necessary to pay well for talent. We cannot expect to attract people to work for nothing. We can, however, expect a clear hiring process for our public positions. I don't think it is to much to ask that the number one qualifier for high paying government jobs be political persuasion.
We can, however, expect a clear hiring process for our public positions.
I wholeheartedly agree, Rob. But will that ever happen if there isn't a party in NB that campaigns hard against wasting taxpayers and demands more acountability? It just seems that at the moment, the tories are content with the status quo as they aren't willing to introduce tough measures into their party platform.
It just seems that at the moment, the tories are content with the status quo as they aren't willing to introduce tough measures into their party platform.
The reason being that in about 6 or 8 years, when the voters tire of the Liberals, the Tories will get their turn at the trough. In an established two party democracy, neither party will rock the boat.
I can't argue with u there. Although I think the NBPC's would connect better with folks all over the province if they appeared to stand for something (strongly) instead of giving the impression they are more status quo than the status quo.
more pigs at the trough!
I like the cut of Rob's jib (don't know what it means but like the sound of it). However, patronage is not THE problem. If 'patrons' are allowed to 'feed at the trough' then obviously there is a reason they are allowed to do so. That's legislation, and as mentioned, NEITHER party has much stake in it, they have good jobs with pensions and know eventually they will have power.
Salaries are a big issue, and you guys are part of the problem with the claim that 'top talent' needs 'top dollar'. That's garbage, for one thing, in a democratic system you DON"T want ONE individual with all the responsibility, which seems to be what most of these guys are-paid fall guys.
Like CEO salaries, these guys make huge salaries even when they lose money. So its not a question of 'quality'. Hell, back in the fifties they were making bigger decisions for a lot less money, they were just as qualified. In fact, a big salary is usually the LAST thing you want because what crown corp head making 200G is going to think twice about the effects of raising rates or the average needs of average NBers who earn one eighth what they earn?
It's also symptomatic of bigger problems. This is a province where union jobs earn almost twice what other earn, and the larger unions do earn twice. Those directly linked with government even more.
Meanwhile, in politics itself it is even worse. As I've said, in Maine they have over 400 representatives which have term limits of eight years, meaning a high turnover, those 400 representatives still cost that state millions of dollars less than the 58 'party representatives' in NB. Such low turnover and such few decision makers (opposition members are out unless its a minority government, even backbenchers have little clout) makes Canada look very much like the old soviet union. Add an unfair electoral system and, well, you can draw your own conclusions.
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home