Tory MPs Hire

[jdobbin]

http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/news/s...48-6bd164a30654

The children and siblings of some Conservative MPs have found work on Parliament Hill in the offices of other Tory parliamentarians, a review of government records shows.

Under House of Commons rules, MPs are not allowed to employ their spouses or children. But there is nothing to stop MPs from hiring family members of their caucus colleagues and paying them from their parliamentary budgets.

Staff directories show several relatives of sitting Tory MPs work for other MPs.

For example, Mark Toews, son of Treasury Board president Vic Toews, works as a special assistant on the Western desk in the ministerial office of International Trade Minister David Emerson. The daughter of Saskatchewan Tory MP Ed Komarnicki works for an Ontario MP, and MP Maurice Vellacott hired his brother to work in his constituency office.

Nice to see how Tories get around the nepotism prohibition.

[Shakeyhands]

... but the Liberals!!!!!!!!!!!

[M.Dancer]

Didn't Roy Maclaren hire his son...?

[Who's Doing What?]

INTEGRITY, HONESTY, TRANSPARENCY.... oh never mind.

[Wild Bill]

INTEGRITY, HONESTY, TRANSPARENCY.... oh never mind.

Yeah, it smells but that's the way of the world!

Anybody in Hamilton/Niagara has always known that when factories gave out summer jobs preference always went to those with relatives in the plant.

'Course, those were the days when there were summer jobs to give out!

Anyhow, never heard a peep from any NDP or good ol' union boys about the practice. Or Liberals, for that matter. Hamilton has always been a strong union town.

Guess it's only a sin if a Tory does it. Has anyone checked to see if any fathers from the other parties have done the same thing? It would be quite hypocritical if they were found to also be guilty but not surprising - they ARE all politicians after all!

[Shakeyhands]

Yeah, it smells but that's the way of the world!

Anybody in Hamilton/Niagara has always known that when factories gave out summer jobs preference always went to those with relatives in the plant.

'Course, those were the days when there were summer jobs to give out!

Anyhow, never heard a peep from any NDP or good ol' union boys about the practice. Or Liberals, for that matter. Hamilton has always been a strong union town.

Guess it's only a sin if a Tory does it. Has anyone checked to see if any fathers from the other parties have done the same thing? It would be quite hypocritical if they were found to also be guilty but not surprising - they ARE all politicians after all!

well everybody else does it so I guess...........

I thought I was promised that things were going to be different under this government? There always seems to be an excuse as well. Oh well. Looking forward to the fall.

[margrace]

Yeah, it smells but that's the way of the world!

Anybody in Hamilton/Niagara has always known that when factories gave out summer jobs preference always went to those with relatives in the plant.

'Course, those were the days when there were summer jobs to give out!

Anyhow, never heard a peep from any NDP or good ol' union boys about the practice. Or Liberals, for that matter. Hamilton has always been a strong union town.

Guess it's only a sin if a Tory does it. Has anyone checked to see if any fathers from the other parties have done the same thing? It would be quite hypocritical if they were found to also be guilty but not surprising - they ARE all politicians after all!

So don't you just prove the point, Harpers cleaner, transparent gov't, that he campaigned on is no different. It all very well to bring up past evidence but this is present day evidence that Harper in not to be believed or trusted.

[Argus]

http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/news/s...48-6bd164a30654

Nice to see how Tories get around the nepotism prohibition.

My mother worked on the hills for almost thirty years. I used to go up there when I was still a teenager, get passes from her boss to go in and watch the HoC. This was before it was on television.

Virtually everyone on the Hill is related to someone else on the hill, and has been for as long as anyone there can remember. This is true of both parliamentary staff, and the public service employees of the HoC. Hiring each other's siblings, neices, nephews and boyfriend/girlfriends has also been traditional there, not for years, but for decades, probably since the place was built. My mother used to tell me stories about the MPs of all parties, the ones cheating on their spouses, the one who was locked out of his office naked by an angry mistress, the one who used to play ball hockey in the halls with his son, the ones who stole office equipment.

There is absolutely nothing new in this story. It's just the Liberal Star on a slow news day trying to smear the tories.

[Shakeyhands]

There is absolutely nothing new in this story. It's just the Liberal Star on a slow news day trying to smear the tories.

uh huh....

[Borg]

It is like this in business and it is like this in the F***ing Libs and it is like this in the NDP as well as the cons.

Heck, I hired both my kids last summer and I also hired my neighbours son - they made a lot of money - and I got some good workers.

I really do not care if some MP hires his colleagues kids - and I do not care which party they work for either.

Tempest in a tea pot.

If they can do the job who cares?

Borg

[noahbody]

... but the Liberals!!!!!!!!!!!

Now that you mention it, the sons of Paul Martin didn't do too badly.

[Michael Bluth]

There is absolutely nothing new in this story. It's just the Liberal Star on a slow news day trying to smear the tories.

And look who started the thread. Hmmm, do you see a connection?

Yeah, party politics is pretty incestuous. Basic human nature I guess.

I know of a sister-in-law in an MPs constituency office. Know cousins of MPs who got jobs in Minister's offices.

My guess is the Liberals and Bloc haven't pursued this one because of the glass houses in which they live.

I wonder if the NDP parliament hill staffer union specifically excludes family relationships. Probly not...

Edited May 28, 2008 by Michael Bluth

[jdobbin]

There is absolutely nothing new in this story. It's just the Liberal Star on a slow news day trying to smear the tories.

The story came from Canwest but whatever...

The Tories are in the soup because they are trying to avoid the prohibition that has existed since the late 1990s. Easy enough to check if Liberals, NDP or Bloc are bypassing the prohibition. Seems their not according to the story or it would have been mentioned.

Once again here is further confirmation of the Tories not being very transparent or honest.

[jdobbin]

Now that you mention it, the sons of Paul Martin didn't do too badly.

They worked for some Liberal MPs? Must have missed that.

[Argus]

They worked for some Liberal MPs? Must have missed that.

In fact, Paul Martin Junior got his start in politics from the party backers of his father.

[jdobbin]

In fact, Paul Martin Junior got his start in politics from the party backers of his father.

Sure, but did his sons work for any MPs to avoid the prohibition on nepotism?

[Argus]

Sure, but did his sons work for any MPs to avoid the prohibition on nepotism?

You're actually asking if Paul Martin, whose entire life benefited from nepotism, who became wealthy because of nepotism, bothered to put his millionaire sons into cheap jobs in an MPs office? No, he didn't bother.

On the other hand, Chretien made his nephew ambassdor to Washington.

[jdobbin]

You're actually asking if Paul Martin, whose entire life benefited from nepotism, who became wealthy because of nepotism, bothered to put his millionaire sons into cheap jobs in an MPs office? No, he didn't bother.

Didn't think so.

On the other hand, Chretien made his nephew ambassdor to Washington.

True. And Charest charged that it was nepotism.

The prohibition on hiring direct family members was made in the late 1990s. It doesn't say anything about indirect members. In 2008, there is only one party that appears to be evading the restriction.

[noahbody]

Sure, but did his sons work for any MPs to avoid the prohibition on nepotism?

Paul Martin Jr wouldn't have a shipping empire in the first place if it wasn't for political influence. Of course, his sons didn't have to work as staffers, they were given their father's company to avoid conflict of interest and avoid paying taxes.

Can you imagine if the Tory's gave millions in contracts to one of their MP's sons or daughters? My god, you'd have a field day.

In any event, with all the concern that the Hell's Angels want to infiltrate government to learn what's going on in NATO, maybe nepotism is a good idea. The security of Canada is at stake.

[jdobbin]

Paul Martin Jr wouldn't have a shipping empire in the first place if it wasn't for political influence.

Really? How so?

Of course, his sons didn't have to work as staffers, they were given their father's company to avoid conflict of interest and avoid paying taxes.

Nepotism in a family company? Say ain't so.

Can you imagine if the Tory's gave millions in contracts to one of their MP's sons or daughters? My god, you'd have a field day.

Citation for this?

In any event, with all the concern that the Hell's Angels want to infiltrate government to learn what's going on in NATO, maybe nepotism is a good idea. The security of Canada is at stake.

Good plan. Scrap the rules on nepotism. Afterall, the Tories don't pay attention to them anyway.

[madmax]

In any event, with all the concern that the Hell's Angels want to infiltrate government to learn what's going on in NATO, maybe nepotism is a good idea. The security of Canada is at stake.

I hear yah!

This finger pointing of Nepotism, is absurd. I have worked in companies where nepotism was a plague. I have also worked in companies were it was beneficial. Depends on the person hired, their work ethic and ability to do the job.

I believe the rule not have MPs hire Relatives directly , is a good one, in that many people will judge that "Relative X, got the job because of his DAD, HUSBAND, WIFE, MOTHER, and person X isn't qualified to do the work."

However, if the relative is hired by another Member of Parliment, and the person who benefited from the Nepotism isn't working out, it is very likely that they will be let go, without judgement. If they are working out, they will be kept without judgement.

Connections and networking is how people get jobs. Being Politically connected is how people get jobs, work etc. It is why its called Politics.

Do I think the CPC is skirting the rules? Sure. But then can any other party do the same?

As for Hells Angels. Many in Hells Angels/Outlaw bikers have had military and mercenary backgrounds. They have interests and networking is just another way to expand their influence.

I find it very interesting how weak the government is behaving.

[madmax]

Sure, but did his sons work for any MPs to avoid the prohibition on nepotism?

Splitting Hairs?

[noahbody]

Really? How so?

The loan he was given to purchase CSL would have been unattainable without political influence according to a PM tv biography. I can likely find a cite online for you later.

Nepotism in a family company? Say ain't so.

Are the Liberals now referring to government as "a family company"?

Citation for this?

CSL. I can get you a citation later. Should take about 30 seconds, but my dentist is calling. And I always smile when I read your posts.

[Topaz]

Yeah, it smells but that's the way of the world!

Anybody in Hamilton/Niagara has always known that when factories gave out summer jobs preference always went to those with relatives in the plant.

'Course, those were the days when there were summer jobs to give out!

Anyhow, never heard a peep from any NDP or good ol' union boys about the practice. Or Liberals, for that matter. Hamilton has always been a strong union town.

Guess it's only a sin if a Tory does it. Has anyone checked to see if any fathers from the other parties have done the same thing? It would be quite hypocritical if they were found to also be guilty but not surprising - they ARE all politicians after all!

I think that was common practice with most of the auto factories, BTW, did the Tories any anything about this practice...No!

[madmax]

I think that was common practice with most of the auto factories, BTW, did the Tories any anything about this practice...No!

And the number of Conservative labourers and Salaried staff who earned their paychecks in these facilities, union and non union plants alike, all supported the practice. Especially with regards to summer employment.

Those practices have faded into the past with the rapid growth of temp services providing long term full time employment with lower wages and no benefits. Once this happens in the full time environment, the prospect of hiring a summer worker earning 75% of the regular wage becomes a moot point.

You are correct in that no political party questions the practice.