Democracy Gone Astray

Democracy, being a human construct, needs to be thought of as directionality rather than an object. As such, to understand it requires not so much a description of existing structures and/or other related phenomena but a declaration of intentionality.
This blog aims at creating labeled lists of published infringements of such intentionality, of points in time where democracy strays from its intended directionality. In addition to outright infringements, this blog also collects important contemporary information and/or discussions that impact our socio-political landscape.

All the posts here were published in the electronic media – main-stream as well as fringe, and maintain links to the original texts.

[NOTE: Due to changes I haven't caught on time in the blogging software, all of the 'Original Article' links were nullified between September 11, 2012 and December 11, 2012. My apologies.]

Wednesday, August 01, 2012

Cha-ching! Bev Oda retires with plump pension

OTTAWA - As Bev Oda rides off into the political sunset, the former international development minister known for her lavish tastes will start collecting her hefty MP's pension.

"Oda starts collecting her parliamentary pension on August 1 at the rate of $52,183 a year," Canadian Taxpayers Federation federal director Gregory Thomas said.

Since Oda is 67, the CTF says she'll have collected almost $700,000 in benefits by age 80 despite contributing only about $130,000.

While Oda was successful in shepherding Canada's child and maternal health initiative and boosting oversight of international aid spending, she was also surrounded by controversy.

Oda had to repay taxpayers for a $16 orange juice, $1,000 per day limo expenses, and her pricy stay at London's Savoy Hotel in 2011.

QMI Agency was first to report Oda also charged taxpayers for an office air purifier so she could smoke without detection.


"The saddest thing about Bev Oda's departure from Ottawa is her willingness to use taxpayer dollars to cover for her smoking habit," Thomas said. "As they used to say in Ottawa, where there's smoke, there's Bev Oda."

On July 3, Oda announced she'd leave politics at the end of the month.

Julian Fantino has moved from associate defence minister to the international development portfolio.

Original Article
Source: cnews.canoe.ca
Author: Daniel Proussalidis

No comments:

Post a Comment