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It’s time to dump Fred and that expensive ornament |
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Written by Al Hollingsworth
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Saturday, 03 May 2008 |
I can’t remember when I have been more angry. Friday morning, I picked up the Chronicle-Herald and looked at the headline, “Gap grows between rich, poor Canadians.” No surprise there, I thought, and casually turned to below the fold. That’s when my blood pressure soared to unsafe levels. For somebody who has an impending date with a surgeon, that’s not a good thing.
“New digs, larger staff costly,” screamed the line over the story about that expensive ornament we call the Lt. Governor. In this case, the robes of the office are being worn by citizen Mayann Francis. She is looking for more than one million dollars to top up her staff. A staff that would include a master chef.
“Okay, enough is enough, “ I yelled to no one in particular. “This is insane.” My wife hates it when I yell to no one in particular.
Not really, the insanity came in the story directly under the money grubbing Lt. Governor. Citizens of Nova Scotia were being told, in a story headed “MacGillivary’s pension OK’d by cabinet 5 years after deal,” that Fred MacGillivary, the highest paid bureaucrat in Nova Scotia, is having his pension topped up by $800,000. That’s going to be 800,000 tax dollars, folks. Your money and mine will be lining MacGillvary’s pockets while he basks in the Florida sun..
The Conservatives did the deal. At the tine, they were led by Dr. John Hamm, someone I thought to be above such chicanery.
His supporters, led by his chief drum banger Rob Batherson, always depicted him as pure as snow. Well, I guess he drifted. But give them credit, they had us fooled for nearly a decade.
Graham Steele, one of the sharpest minds in the House of Assembly, suggested “Somebody messed up, they realized they messed up and now they are trying to paper it over.” Graham, you’re being too nice, it doesn’t pass the smell test.
No wonder they covered it up. Had that deal been made public five years ago, our boy Freddie would have had to live on monies earned. Like the rest of us.
We’ve got homeless people, hundreds, maybe thousands of people who cannot heat their homes. Seniors who can’t afford medications, children who are not getting proper meals, and our government, the people we placed our trust in to manage our affairs, are spending millions of our tax dollars on two overly inflated egos.
If Fast Freddie is so great, how come he’s no longer with Boland’s? Remember when he headed IGA and had his mug plastered everywhere. IGA – does it stand for I Grab All?
The World Trade and Convention Centre is losing millions and we reward him for failure. If he was in the private sector his butt would have been out the door years ago. What happens if he ever turns a profit ….do we sign over the province to him?
As for Francis, she may be doing us a favour. The anger I am hearing over her wasteful spending may take us over the top and finally do away with this useless, superfluous money wasting post. Thanks, Gov, we needed that.
Yes, the gap between rich and poor is growing, but we didn’t need a headline to tell us that, did we? We’ve got walking examples of the “Let them eat cake” crowd, feeding nicely off of the public purse. And, to use the royal lingo, we are not amused.
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On a personal note. There will be a brief pause in my weekly rant. Thursday (May 8) I have a date with the knife. I have prostate cancer and will need a week or two to gather some strength after surgery.
To the men in the audience, make certain you have that yearly check up. It can save your life.
(Al Hollingsworth is a retired journalist and broadcaster)
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