MP James Lunney’s comments in a recent letter to the editor about derelict boats bring to mind two questions.
His statement “life cycle management of boats is a regulatory oversight too long neglected” begs the question: If it is a case of neglect in the making of regulations, is Lunney guilty of that neglect, having been our MP for the past 15 years?
Another of his comments, “socialists have never encountered a problem that their neighbour’s money wouldn’t solve” invites some consideration of the taxpayers’ money that Lunney has used in 15 years.
When he was first elected in 2000, an MP’s annual salary was $68,000. The next year the regulations were changed to almost double MP’s salaries to $131,400. In his 15 years in office, Lunney has personally received nearly $2 million of his neighbours’ money.
Of course, that does not include his expenses, which his neighbours have also paid.
If, as he suggests, there are politicians who use up their neighbours’ money without good result, should Lunney be numbered among them?
Ralph MartinQualicum Beach
