Regarding MP pensions, MP Alex Atamanenko’s excuses are nothing more than hot air. Whenever a politician gets caught with his hand in the cookie jar, he points his finger at somebody who is even worse, and just like magic, he comes out as clean as a whistle.
Of course the CEOs pay themselves too generously. But, if we were to compare the MPs to waitresses, it would be the MP who would look bad. MPs are neither CEOs nor waitresses. They will have a hard time wiggling their way out of the fact that they are being compared to workers in their own bracket in the private sector.
About hard work, a lot of people perceive themselves as hard workers. It is not my intention to challenge Mr. Atamanenko’s work ethic, but it is fair to point out that useless work does not count. The NDP staged a filibuster which lasted a whole week on an issue they knew they could not win. Over 300 highly paid MPs wasted a whole week accomplishing nothing. It looks to me like they were campaigning for the next election four years away.
MP benefits have nothing to do with hard work and they have everything to do with people voting themselves a raise any time they want. As I understand it, that is called “conflict of interest”.
Dan Albas deserves huge credit for addressing this issue.
Gerry Lepine
Summerland
