Husband of the Chief of Staff to PM Justin Trudeau Gives Up His Career To Support Hers

Is this what we should expect for the next four years? Liberals, wonderful, everyone else, scum.

WHATEVER!

Well, he's a lobbyist. When he wants to say "that place is a frigid hell which I detest with the passion of a thousand suns, and I curse the day some bufoon in England decided to make it the capital of this land," he says "I hear Ottawa is lovely in January" and everyone giggles knowingly. I think it was even in the "how to tell when a Canadian is angry" list this year. 

Similarly, "I plan to spend more time with my family" means "I am actively looking for work." When a politician says it (as we know from Yes Minister), it means "I am definitely running for office." 

I agree Rob Silver has not given up his career, but rather resigned from his current job due to conflict-of-interest. It's still interesting and as thread-worthy as most threads here. I hadn't known Katie Telford's husband was also in the politics-lobbyist nexus. 

terrytowel wrote:

 

Sean in Ottawa wrote:

This has nothing to do with what women face in most relationships when it comes to the sacrifices they make.

Equal Voice would disagree.

You need to back that up -- I suspect you are wrong on this. Likely you are misreading what I said.

I am saying that typically many women make the sacrifices and that the higher end positions like this would be the exception so it is not as if there is somethign particularly newsworthy about this. It does not suggest any kind of progress or balancing. This kind of high level position was always the exception and a spouse would do something to make it work if needed.

It has nothing to do with what women in careers usually face as they are often the one to sacrifice.

If you think Equal Voice disagrees with that you will have to document rather than just name-drop.

What a nonsensical thread. This is simply partisan drivel. Surely, the Liberals have other things they can pat themselves on the back for rather than this non- story.

I don't see any particular attack on the Liberals here.  His severing ties with his former company would be pretty much expected, and I'm sure he's going to land on his feet.  Personally I've always thought Rob was a nice enough guy, good sense of humour, often gave fairly balanced analyses, and I have no doub't he will enjoy time with George.  There's just IMHO not much subject matter for a thread here.

Pondering wrote:

There are issues to attack the Liberals over. This isn't one of them.

Entirely agreed. Let's attack Greens instead. Or oldgoat could convene one of those parties that used to fill up the less important threads. That might be fun. 

oldgoat wrote:

I don't see any particular attack on the Liberals here.  His severing ties with his former company would be pretty much expected, and I'm sure he's going to land on his feet.  Personally I've always thought Rob was a nice enough guy, good sense of humour, often gave fairly balanced analyses, and I have no doub't he will enjoy time with George.  There's just IMHO not much subject matter for a thread here.

Did you read the first two response posts?

I agree there is not much to talk about here. Normally that results in no one responding to the topic not a pile on against the person who posted for daring to post something others don't find interesting or significant. Every post in this thread has appeared on the front page of rabble elevating the importance of the thread.

What the heck Pondering, I'm going to take Swallows advice.   Here, have a balloon. 

Probably a typo.  I think she meant to say the weed in Ottawa is lovely in January.

That would be two of your drinks, Old Goat?

terrytowel wrote:

Sean in Ottawa wrote:

Given the kind of level Silver is in as well -- there is no big sacrifice compared to what many couples face. So I really don't see the big story here.

He is walking away from a six figure income. They are going from a two-income family to a one-income family. That is a financial sacrifice.

Are you their accountant? I call bullshit on you knowing anything much about their various income streams and how they will be affected by a move to the corridors of power in Ottawa.

when one loses their job and is unemployed where does one get money?

Katie Telford probably makes as much as Justin there's no hardship or fkn sacrifice going on.

terrytowel wrote:

kropotkin1951 wrote:

terrytowel wrote:

Sean in Ottawa wrote:

Given the kind of level Silver is in as well -- there is no big sacrifice compared to what many couples face. So I really don't see the big story here.

He is walking away from a six figure income. They are going from a two-income family to a one-income family. That is a financial sacrifice.

Are you their accountant? I call bullshit on you knowing anything much about their various income streams and how they will be affected by a move to the corridors of power in Ottawa.

When one quits a job and is unemployed where does one get money?

When you are highly employable and in demand you have three choices:

1) get a new better job

2) consult at high rates

3) start a business

I reject the idea that they did not have a family discussion about moving to Ottawa and all the possibilities that would present. This is not a person unemployed in the manner of the average worker. I am sure his phone has been ringing. I keep my sympathy for the real unemployed, for young people starting out, for older people who have lost their jobs and now have few prospects. This guy not only will land on his feet -- I am betting he already has.

I am not criticizing him for doing the right thing -- I am saying you are trying to make it into a story that it is not.

I am sure their family income is going up or the prospect of it is. And they likely made a family decision that her appointment and his move will lead them to greater benefits than before.

And no, I am not going to feel sorry for the very well off who are gaining from their party coming to power and their connections getting them good jobs. That is normal.

I will reserve my sympathy for the Canadians struggling, a good number earning under $20,000 a year and still paying tax becuase the Liberal party is directing a tax cut to those from $43,000 to $210,000 where the most money goes to those in the $90,000 to $200,000 bracket instead of raising the basic exemption. You can feel sorry for the rich guy but others will point out how absolutely misplaced that sentiment is.

terrytowel wrote:

Where in the title does it mention discussion about employment equity? We are talking about a man giving up his career for a woman.

Oh that is right, Sean is deflecting on the topic at hand. Again.

Sean in Ottawa wrote:

I am sure their family income is going up or the prospect of it is. And they likely made a family decision that her appointment and his move will lead them to greater benefits than before.

Sean are you a regular reader of the Ottawa Sun?

Because only people who are avid readers of The Sun would believe one gets paid better in government than the private sector! You actually take a PAY cut when you move into government from the private sector.

Sean in Ottawa wrote:

When you are highly employable and in demand..

You also realize there are some out there who have 3 degrees and are waiting tables right now. Employment is not a given, doesn't matter how much experience or how many degrees you have.

You would shocked to see how many well educated, experieneced people are standing in the unemployment line.

Now Rob Silver is in a better position than most. But to say "When you are highly employable and in demand you have three choices" is really ignorant because of the precarious employment situation out there. Especially when you are over 40. Don't believe me? Go out and ask any taxi driver out there.

The bottom line is that they are going to be living under ONE PUBLIC servant income. If you don't call that a sacrifice well. I just wonder who on this board is out of touch and an elitist.

Terry Towel this is utter bullshit from start to finish. You should be ashamed of yourself.

You start this thread and lift it up as progress for women. Let me tell you this -- the real issue IS NOT SOME FUCKING MILLIONARE LIBERAL

The real issue is those things I mentionned. You are cheerleading so hard that your head is up your ass on this one. The real issue is the people on low wages. It is the people facing inadequate income in retirement.

terrytowel wrote:

Sean in Ottawa wrote:

I am sure their family income is going up or the prospect of it is.

Sean in Ottawa wrote:

What kind of person suggests a another person on a progressive site is a reader of the SUN?

What kind of person thinks you get rich off of working in the Government? Sun News readers do!

Terry Towel -- you win. That has got to be the stupidist comment that I have ever seen on babble.

Comparing a millionaire making over $600,000 a year with public workers and then saying that I am being right wing -- wow Just WOW.

Can we put that comment in the hall of fame? This is an indication of the absolutely butchered logic Liberals are using to cheer for their team.

Hopefully this can also be held up to explain why left of centre people on this site are so absolutely disgusted and yes fucking hostile to Liberals here.

Thank you Terry Towel for putting it this clearly in this thread. This is a Hall of famer.

Unionist wrote:

Stop this childish schoolyard squabbling.

Read my post #35 and the replies from there. This is not a petty thing.

My post 35 addresses the priority here TT says the real issue is a person who earned more last year than most of us will in 1.5-2 decades.

You have fought on a lot less important ground.

oh i see from a quick search the PM's Chief of Staff might make more than the PM himself.

Consider this as well.

Women outnumber men in the lowest wages and have always (althought this has been closing the gap remains).

Women are more likely to work part time and therefore have lower annual incomes than men.

While only 13% of women live in poverty 30% of Aboriginal women do. 36% of single mothers live in poverty.

This on top of the fact that Women do much more of the unpaid work in our society and by this we mean, caregiving for seniors and chronically ill, household work, as well as childcare. Yet even after you ignore the unpaid work they are paid less for the paid work they do.

The Liberals are claiming great gender equality creds over the cabinet but that cabinet has endorsed a tax gift that will go disproportionately to men as it is aimed at the higher wage brackets while not putting a priority on issues mentionned here: http://www.swc-cfc.gc.ca/transition/tab_2-en.html

As well, the Liberals are accepting to put off pension reform and there again the issue affects more women than men. women outlive their savings more than men, more women than men retire into poverty without an adequate pension. Women seniors are twice as likely as men to live in poverty.

Read this: http://canadianlabour.ca/issues-research/did-you-know-senior-women-are-t...

So if you want to talk about the Liberal record on economic equity for women we can go there and this little puff story about a wealthy Liberal family is not the real thing. Handing the Liberals gold stars when the more important policies are already betraying women on the issue of money is disgusting.

So let's talk money and women -- talk about the tax policy and talk about the pension developments from the Liberal party. Then see how much any truly progressive person wants to feel sorry for Silver or any other millionaire.

I feel proud of myself to get through this post without one swear word becuase I am so sorely tempted.

Now Silver is making a smart move going to Ottawa: The Liberals are in power and they are likely to lose power in Ontario. His Liberal connections are likely to bear more profitable fruit in Ottawa than in Toronto in the next decade.

Silver will be among a substantial migration from Toronto to Ottawa over the next year.

But get your eyes on what matters: the tax cut and the pension discussion. Not a self serving migration of one Liberal from where the sun is setting to where the sun is rising for him personally.

I hope there is a Timmies near you -- looks like you need a coffee.