Layton and Chow: The Million Dollar Power Couple
November 7, 2010 - 8:07am
Layton and Chow: The million-dollar power couple
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/887101--layton-and-chow-the-m...
"While the House of Commons has taken some baby steps in releasing members' expenses, there are critics who still insist the lack of transparency prevents the public from getting a detailed breakdown.
'If we had detailed disclosure, we might be in a better position to say whether Jack and Olivia are or are not taking advantage of the rules,' Ken Gaudet, the federal spokesperson for the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said."
must be nice...
I find it interesting that while the Star is rigorous at doing the math for Layton and Chow, everyone else, including Ignatieff and Harper, somehow waltz off the hook (by excluding Stornoway, 44 Sussex, and the relevant departmental expenses). Same expenses, different ledger. If we include living accomodations, Layton is indeed comparable to Ignatieff in terms of the cost to taxpayers. I also notice the Star takes the chance to raise the 1990 co-op 'fiasco', which helpfully leaves out the market rent for a place in downtown Toronto at the time, and ignores the fact that co-ops are *designed* to be mixed-income communities. That includes people who are doing okay.
Quoting someone from the Canadian Taxpayer's Federation is hardly a damning indictment. I would be very, very interested to hear him piping up about the abuses of expenses re: Ignatieff and Harper. Except either he didn't say anything, or the Star chose not to quote him. Funny, that.
The whole article stinks to high heaven of being a partisan attack-job.
Yup it does.
Looks like the Toronto Star is doing what it does best.
NDPP, you need to give me one good reason why I should keep this hatchet-job of a thread open.
What a hatchet job. Besides the ones outlined by EO, there are a number of more ways that the "comparisons" are such set-ups.
Its easy to see why the Star and the CTF want to do this. Posting the trash here is at best really petty.
ETA: crossposted with Maysie, but will leave as is.
must be nice...
So Freedom 55, what is it you think is so commendable about that cryptic little quip?
Or maybe he'd like to elaborate himself.
Layton and Chow: The million-dollar power couple
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/887101--layton-and-chow-the-m...
"While the House of Commons has taken some baby steps in releasing members' expenses, there are critics who still insist the lack of transparency prevents the public from getting a detailed breakdown.
'If we had detailed disclosure, we might be in a better position to say whether Jack and Olivia are or are not taking advantage of the rules,' Ken Gaudet, the federal spokesperson for the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said."
must be nice...
Anyone who would quote the Canadian Taxpayers Federation has to be composing his provocative work in the PMO office.
This reminds me of the attack on Hampton and Martel's expenses a few years ago (expenses which were inflated due to the fact that Hampton represents not only the largest riding in Ontario in terms of geography but also the most remote). Hampton reacted emotinally on camera which sunk him with the Queen's Park press gallery for years.
Suggestion to Maysie if I may:
Set a time limit for hearing NDPP give a defense of creating the thread. Close it if there is no comment by then.
Otherwise, so-called "discussion" is going to get its own momentum.
The Queen's Park press gallery is composed mostly of right-wing hacks, chosen for their political position, who are overjoyed to be given an open excuse to shun NDP figures...who rarely appear in their rags anyway.
But, yeah, honest emotion will do you in every time.
You know what, there's no point in keeping this open.
NDPP if you need to message me you know how to find me.
Closing.