Saturday, November 08, 2008

Three totally unrelated news stories

Story One: Home for portrait gallery nixed

Citing the uncertain economic conditions, James Moore, newly appointed Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages, announced yesterday evening that after years of stops and starts and squabbles, the selection process to grant the new gallery to one of three competing cities has been canceled.

In this time of global economic instability, it is important that the federal government continue to manage its own affairs prudently and pragmatically.”


Story Two: Harper's bigger cabinet to cost extra $3.9M in salaries

Prime Minister Stephen Harper's enlarged cabinet could cost taxpayers an additional $3.9 million in salaries alone for extra ministers and staff.

The total cost of staffing ministerial offices, roughly $24.2 million in salaries, has grown by 19 per cent with last week's shuffle and has jumped 42 per cent since the Tories presented their first cabinet in 2006.


Story Three: How much is that cabinet in the window?

The Prime Minister’s Office just announced the appointments of 27 parliamentary secretaries, each entitled to a bonus of $15,600, amounting to a total of $421,200 in extra salary.

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6 comments:

penlan said...

Plenty of money for a larger Cabinet eh. Harper just continuing his funding cuts for the arts.

Wonder what else he'll be cutting to pay his Cabinet salaries.

Gayle said...

They still owe Edmonton 30 million dollars for our new art gallery. The gallery is half completed and still no money...

A Eliz. said...

I read the Conservatives ? at their Convention, want smaller government, want Harper to go back to the right , and want privatization of the Hospitals.
Harper fixed himself with all the tax cuts, including the GST, which he should never have cut.
He hates the Arts.
He will be lucky if there is anything left after those salaries.

Mike514 said...

Lizt said: Tories "want smaller government, want Harper to go back to the right"

Conservatives proposing conservative measures? That's bold stuff. Although granted, an expanded cabinet would go against that principle. Hopefully the Tories can restrain themselves when they introduce their next budget, rather than try to outspend all previous governments.

"and want privatization of the Hospitals."

You forgot to add "US-style, two-tier" to that sentence. Come on, Liz. Please do your part to ensure the debate on health care remains polarized.

burlivespipe said...

Hey Mike44342342352342345, don't worry, CONs may talk conservative but we've seen this story before. Lavish limousines to take Oda 3 blocks, gov't funded block parties for their focus groups, grotto-tub Tuesdays for all the CON insiders on the hill, including public financed power drinks.
Plus big tips to Quebecers and oil companies. Sorry, your conservativism is not even attractive to your own so-called leaders, either.

Mike514 said...

Burlivespipe,

You make reference to my "conservativism." I'm surprised you're confident enough to define my political philosophies based on the occasional comments I've made on blogs.

Please indulge me and explain what my political philosophies are.

Thanks in advance.