Canadian Politics

[JCon]

  On 2017-06-04 at 1:17 AM, SpeedFlex27 said:

Just like her father, a career politician. Steve Ashton was UMSU President when I attended the U of M. The NDP was a Godsend for the guy. I don't think he's had a regular job his entire life.

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Ala Stephen Fletcher. 

[bigg jay]

  On 2017-06-04 at 2:21 AM, JCon said:

Ala Stephen Fletcher. 

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Not quite.  Fletcher had some kind of engineering job up north when he was in the car accident that left him paralyzed.  Who knows if he ever becomes a politician (post university anyway) if not for the accident.  The Ashtons have no such excuse.

[blue_gold_84]

  On 2017-06-04 at 2:55 AM, bigg jay said:

Not quite.  Fletcher had some kind of engineering job up north when he was in the car accident that left him paralyzed.  Who knows if he ever becomes a politician (post university anyway) if not for the accident.  The Ashtons have no such excuse.

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Agreed. They're just woefully inept, much in line with the party they represent.

[SpeedFlex27]

Meanwhile there's Tom Mulcair who thinks Karla Homolka should be forgiven as he thinks she has paid her debt to society.

[blue_gold_84]

And now it sounds like there could be some ruffled feathers in the Conservative Party based on how close the final votes were for Scheer and Bernier.

Too bad the ballots were destroyed already. So much for a unified party.

[Mark H.]

  On 2017-06-04 at 1:17 AM, SpeedFlex27 said:

Just like her father, a career politician. Steve Ashton was UMSU President when I attended the U of M. The NDP was a Godsend for the guy. I don't think he's had a regular job his entire life.

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I have had an insider's view of both Parliament and the Legislature - it's not an easy job.  

[SpeedFlex27]

  On 2017-06-05 at 6:32 PM, Mark H. said:

I have had an insider's view of both Parliament and the Legislature - it's not an easy job.  

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A real job is also hard. Someone who's been cocooned by government privilege their entire working life has no idea what's it like for a lot of Canadians who struggle. It's all about political theory not actual reality.

Edited June 5, 2017 by SpeedFlex27

[blue_gold_84]

  On 2017-06-05 at 6:32 PM, Mark H. said:

I have had an insider's view of both Parliament and the Legislature - it's not an easy job.  

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Compared to what...?

[17to85]

  On 2017-06-05 at 8:11 PM, SpeedFlex27 said:

A real job is also hard. Someone who's been cocooned by government privilege their entire working life has no idea what's it like for a lot of Canadians who struggle. It's all about political theory not actual reality.

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You know I have had the opportunity to meet some people who spent the better part of the last 10 years working as political staffers in Ottawa and I won't bad mouth the jobs anymore. Some very smart hard working people who just happen to enjoy the policy work. It is definitely a real job and in some ways can be more volatile than a real job if the government of the day decides to up and cut the funding for the department you are working in. 

[SpeedFlex27]

  On 2017-06-05 at 11:20 PM, 17to85 said:

You know I have had the opportunity to meet some people who spent the better part of the last 10 years working as political staffers in Ottawa and I won't bad mouth the jobs anymore. Some very smart hard working people who just happen to enjoy the policy work. It is definitely a real job and in some ways can be more volatile than a real job if the government of the day decides to up and cut the funding for the department you are working in. 

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I would still say that a career politician, one that went from post secondary right into a provincial or federal career is out of touch. Yes, the staffers work hard. I'm not talking about them as they generally are people that come from the private sector with a marketing or journalism background & it can be a real grind. They work long hours & it can be selfless. Especially when they have to put a positive spin on a negative situation or the long hours of an election campaign. It's the politicians like the Ashtons I'm referring to with all the entitlements & perks that come from being a politician.

[Mark H.]

  On 2017-06-05 at 8:15 PM, blue_gold_84 said:

Compared to what...?

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Geez, I don't know.  Some of them literally worked dairy farm hours - I kid you not.

For example, I had a chance to visit with Conservative MP Kelly Block.  She flies home to Sask on weekends to meet with constituents.  Fly home friday, meet with constituents Saturday and Sunday, get up at 3:30 AM monday to drive to Regina, to fly to Toronto, to fly to Ottawa.  

[Mark H.]

  On 2017-06-05 at 8:11 PM, SpeedFlex27 said:

A real job is also hard. Someone who's been cocooned by government privilege their entire working life has no idea what's it like for a lot of Canadians who struggle. It's all about political theory not actual reality.

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Yeah, some will be that way, just like there are in any other career. 

[SpeedFlex27]

  On 2017-06-06 at 1:26 AM, Mark H. said:

Yeah, some will be that way, just like there are in any other career. 

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Yeah, we get some great politicians for sure... (Sarcasm).

[blue_gold_84]

  On 2017-06-06 at 1:25 AM, Mark H. said:

Geez, I don't know.  Some of them literally worked dairy farm hours - I kid you not.

For example, I had a chance to visit with Conservative MP Kelly Block.  She flies home to Sask on weekends to meet with constituents.  Fly home friday, meet with constituents Saturday and Sunday, get up at 3:30 AM monday to drive to Regina, to fly to Toronto, to fly to Ottawa.  

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Sure, many of them put in long hours. But's it not "difficult" work, per se. And they get compensated handsomely, too.

Edited June 6, 2017 by blue_gold_84

[Mark H.]

Did you two have any specific examples?'

 

[blue_gold_84]

  On 2017-06-06 at 1:41 AM, Mark H. said:

Did you two have any specific examples?'

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http://globalnews.ca/news/3408619/mp-salary-raise-canada-justin-trudeau-salary/

Seems like pretty exorbitant salaries when you break it down. Meanwhile, some PSAC departments/agencies haven't received an increase at all in over three years. Must be nice to get a raise every year no matter what.

[Mark H.]

  On 2017-06-06 at 1:47 AM, blue_gold_84 said:

http://globalnews.ca/news/3408619/mp-salary-raise-canada-justin-trudeau-salary/

Seems like pretty exorbitant salaries when you break it down. Meanwhile, some PSAC departments/agencies haven't received an increase at all in over three years. Must be nice to get a raise every year no matter what.

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I knew they were well paid - most people know that

[blue_gold_84]

  On 2017-06-06 at 1:51 AM, Mark H. said:

I knew they were well paid - most people know that

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And that's my point. They should work hard considering how well they get paid. The work to pay ratio is beyond favourable.

“Whenever you have a weak economy, people are rightly upset when they see politicians taking a raise while private sector jobs are getting cut and wages frozen.”

Edited June 6, 2017 by blue_gold_84

[Mark H.]

  On 2017-06-06 at 2:01 AM, blue_gold_84 said:

And that's my point. They should work hard considering how well they get paid. The work to pay ratio is beyond favourable.

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And you can prove that by giving stats about what they make - nothing about the work they do

[blue_gold_84]

  On 2017-06-06 at 2:03 AM, Mark H. said:

And you can prove that by giving stats about what they make - nothing about the work they do

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How do you suggest I go about determining how many hours a week each MP works? 

Here's a better question: do you think MPs deserve the obscene salaries make, including their annual raises regardless of how much work they actually do in a 12-month period?

[Mark H.]

  On 2017-06-06 at 2:10 AM, blue_gold_84 said:

How do you suggest I go about determining how many hours a week each MP works? 

Here's a better question: do you think MPs deserve the obscene salaries make, including their annual raises regardless of how much work they actually do in a 12-month period?

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You've already agreed that many of them put in long hours. Anyway, we'll get no where, I'm moving on from this discussion. 

[blue_gold_84]

  On 2017-06-06 at 1:17 PM, Mark H. said:

You've already agreed that many of them put in long hours. Anyway, we'll get no where, I'm moving on from this discussion. 

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Sigh. That's an unfortunate mindset. Seemed like a worthwhile discussion to me, anyway.

And I agreed but also made a counterpoint. No matter. You're apparently done here. 2/2 in this thread!

[Atomic]

  On 2017-06-06 at 3:37 PM, blue_gold_84 said:

Sigh. That's an unfortunate mindset. Seemed like a worthwhile discussion to me, anyway.

And I agreed but also made a counterpoint. No matter. You're apparently done here. 2/2 in this thread!

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hint hint, you're unbearably obnoxious

[blue_gold_84]

  On 2017-06-06 at 4:07 PM, Atomic said:

hint hint, you're unbearably obnoxious

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Yeah, I can see how wanting to engage in discussion makes one "unbearably obnoxious"...

Solid contribution. As always.

[Mark H.]

  On 2017-06-06 at 3:37 PM, blue_gold_84 said:

Sigh. That's an unfortunate mindset. Seemed like a worthwhile discussion to me, anyway.

And I agreed but also made a counterpoint. No matter. You're apparently done here. 2/2 in this thread!

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You have no evidence to show that politicians do or do not work hard.  I provided an anecdote, you disagreed with it - for no reason other than salary increases.