We want it and the Conservatives promised it during the last election and frankly we deserve it when it is our money: transparency and accountability.
Now we can be proud of our three Alberta Conservative MPs out of seven in total on the ethics committee for agreeing to scrap a bill requiring federal bureaucrats earning $188,000 or more to publicly post their salaries, bonuses and expenses.
We can’t know where our money is going unless we are aware. Recently, we learned of the waste on First Nation reserves and the current fiasco involving the Senate.
Exorbitant salaries and perks are out of control in the public sector and the beginning measure to make corrections is to become aware of the figures. A Conservative MP from Edmonton, Brent Rathgeber, put forth Bill C-461, which would have disclosed all these upper echelon salaries. He was supported in caucus but in a committee meeting his bill was gutted.
The seven Conservative MPs on the committee chose to vote as dictated by the unelected PMO instead of in the interest of their constituents and the campaign promise.
How do we begin to make changes if no one will step forward with a plan? How do we even know what needs to be changed if we don’t have the facts?
Mr. Rathgeber did step forward with a plan and was supported by the NDP and Liberal members on the committee, but our very own Alberta MPs went against him. Blaine Calkins, Chris Warkentin and Earl Dreeshen thought it better to bring Ottawa’s viewpoint to us rather than take our viewpoint to Ottawa.
I’m thinking the ethics committee needs a new name.
Kathy Kashuba
Red Deer