Harper: A Skinflint

[August1991]

While attending an event in June of 2007, Harper rented a day room at the Super 8 motel in New Brunswick for $126.

This comes after QMI Agency revealed spending in the prime minister’s own office dropped from $38,440 in 2004-2005 and $39,924 in 2005-2006 under the Liberals to $1,917 in 2006-2007, $1,966 in 2007-2008 and $7,705 in 2008-2009 under the Tories.

Toronto Sun

I started a thread before about the lack of scandals with Harper's government. Other than Maxim Bernier (which was a non-scandal), Harper runs a clean operation.

Now it emerges that the guy stays at Super 8 Motels.

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Maybe the English-Canadian Toronto media should start to criticize Harper because, compared to Sarkozy and other Heads of State, Harper just doesn't understand how to represent appropriately the Canadian government. Harper is cheap white trash.

Edited February 20, 2010 by August1991

[Oleg Bach]

Harper grew up in the neighbourhood of Leaside - small after the war houses in a very old anglo area...poor folks are cheap - so are rich ones. What do we expect from Harper? Would we find it pleasing if he rented the Presidential suite and gorged himself on butter soak lobster while waiting for the fly in hooker from Japan? I might just respect him more if he did- may as well enjoy yourself while you are on top the world - You are not there forever. It's probably good that he does not do the above...and being Spartan at heart is probably a wonderful thing- once I get a report of him sleeping on the hardwood floor and praying to God for strength - I might be impressed.

[cybercoma]

Good for him. I applaud his cost-cutting efforts.

[Oleg Bach]

Good for him. I applaud his cost-cutting efforts.

He's a simple guy. I don't have a problem with him other than he kisses the asses of his banking masters - who surprisingly are also frugal simple guys-- I guess that's why our economy came out ahead of the rest - we Canadians are cheap and store up for a rainy day that never comes.

[bush_cheney2004]

Now it emerges that the guy stays at Super 8 Motels.

Ahem...let's be frank here...Canadians in general are not known to be high rollers ... or great tippers!

[Smallc]

Maybe there was nowhere else to stay....lol.

I think we too often assume that our officials waste all kinds of money is wasted by our public officials.

[Oleg Bach]

Maybe there was nowhere else to stay....lol.

I think we too often assume that our officials waste all kinds of money is wasted by our public officials.

You would have to be a nut to buy a 4 dollar cup off coffee if a a dollar fifty one exists across the street. I doubt that our officals are stupid and have an uncontrolled urge to waste - BUT- when you are talking billions, the mind boggles and few human beings can comprehend let alone manage well.

[BubberMiley]

My only question is who the hell uses the word "skinflint" anymore?

[cybercoma]

I don't even know what skinflint means.

As far as Harper, he is an economist after all. What value would he get out of staying in a more expensive hotel that he doesn't get from a Super 8? It just makes sense.

[BubberMiley]

Ahem...let's be frank here...Canadians in general are not known to be high rollers ... or great tippers!

You're probably confusing Winnipeggers with all Canadians. Winnipeggers are notoriously cheap, but if you had served a Montrealer or a Vancouverite, you would have probably been pleased with your tip.

[waldo]

As far as Harper, he is an economist after all.

Harper has an econ degree - he has never worked a day of his life as an 'economist'... the practical application and extension of formal education would allow one to move from being a degree holder to being an 'economist'. In any case, somewhat moot since Harper has the the lil' leprechaun Flaherty to do all the needed economizing

[Guest American Woman]

I'm trying to understand this: are people actually criticizing Harper for staying at a Super 8?

[William Ashley]

Toronto Sun

I started a thread before about the lack of scandals with Harper's government. Other than Maxim Bernier (which was a non-scandal), Harper runs a clean operation.

Now it emerges that the guy stays at Super 8 Motels.

----

Maybe the English-Canadian Toronto media should start to criticize Harper because, compared to Sarkozy and other Heads of State, Harper just doesn't understand how to represent appropriately the Canadian government. Harper is cheap white trash.

You are convienently forgetting his presidential class stays in New York and Toronto.

$51,645.68 is still a lot of money for hotel rooms for a two year span. That is $25000/year or about $2000/month...

how often is the guy staying outside his riding or Ottawa - he has a free home in Ottawa.. doesn't he have a house in his riding?

The other ministers and agents aren't exactly cheap either.. also a 149$ for a night isn't "cheap" anything over 100$ is getting to be "normative" you can get hotel rooms in most cities for 50$/night.

Other ministers and agents are spending far more .. and even more than the cost of the "federal government partner hotels" frankly they are paying too much. And giving a cheapo example that isn't even cheap isn't exactly convincing.

Also Frontenac isn't exactly cheap either. Fact is.. what the hell is he doing traveling when he is suppose to work in ottawa, don't we have ambassadors and MP's for a reason? Hosting a golf tournament with $15000 tax dollars doesn't strike me as "prime ministerial - it strikes me as neglecting his duties as PM to watch golf on the tax payer dime.

I'm sure all you houfhers are all well we would do it, doesn't strike me at all.. a PM should not be using tax dollars to host a golf tournament that has nothing to do with the office - it is an abuse of tax payer dollars.

If he wants to watch a golf game or host one, let him do it in his private life, not as PM of Canada. That 15000 is a job for someone who is collecting EI. If businesses want to waste tax dollars on golf games then so be it, it is tax deductable but it is a waste of tax dollars especially when it is the government doing it. The Government should not be wasting thousands of dollars on golf when it is running a 56 billion dollar deficit.

Edited February 20, 2010 by William Ashley

[xul]

I'm trying to understand this: are people actually criticizing Harper for staying at a Super 8?

I guess he was just somewhat disappointed that there are not a lot of party-run meida reporting such kind of news on the front pages everyday like my hometown.

Nonetheless, Harper is a politician and a politician is supposed to do an good example for his people, so he has been doing right on this matter, regardless what his motive is.

Edited February 22, 2010 by xul

[August1991]

My only question is who the hell uses the word "skinflint" anymore?

Uh, me?

Bubbler, your post made me wonder why I chose it - I haven't pronounced the word aloud in 20 years - and then I heard the voice of my grandmother. It's a good word, better than "cheapskate" IMHO.

[M.Dancer]

I don't even know what skinflint means.

I skinflint is someone so cheap, instead of buying a new flint for his musket, he knaps it ( with a good steel knife, dulling the knife) and risks misfiring and losing his dinner.

And that is the origin of skinflint

[M.Dancer]

It's a good word, better than "cheapskate" IMHO.

A cheapskate is a compound word.

A Skate is a rascal, a cad, a braggart or a blowhard. From the scots gaelic, skite.

A cheap skite is a rascal who avoids paying for the next round...

[August1991]

A cheapskate is a compound word.

A Skate is a rascal, a cad, a braggart or a blowhard. From the scots gaelic, skite.

A cheap skite is a rascal who avoids paying for the next round...

If you didn't exist Morris, Charles/Greg would have to invent you in cyber fashion.

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"Cheap" IMV is connected to the Quebec anglicisme meaning mauvaise qualité. Maybe the word "tightwad" is better. But when I thought of Harper renting a dayroom at a Super 8 in New Brunswick, I first heard the voice of my grandmother saying "skinflint". And then I thought of white trash.

I think that it is fair to say that no Liberal, ever, stays at a Super 8. A Liberal would rather drive all night rather than take the risk of someone discovering that they slept in a Super 8.

Edited February 24, 2010 by August1991

[M.Dancer]

If you didn't exist Morris, Charles/Greg would have to invent you in cyber fashion.

----

They spend more time trying uninvent me...

[ZenOps]

Its definitely a Canadian way to be.

Luxurious spending accounts are not really a Canadian thing. Warren Buffet in the US is an exception to the rule - He still loves $3 hamburgers (and so do I)

[August1991]

Well, I wuz wrong.

Harper's no skinflint; he's a spendthrift.

A billion dollars for security/logistics for these two summits? This is way out of line.

The Kananaskis Summit in 2002 cost $200 million. So, we're now holding two summits and there has been inflation. Maybe we're at $500 million. The other summit is a G20, so let's make it $600 million.

That's still $320 million less than the budgeted cost of these two summits in 2010.

The main point is: why are we spending even $200 million on these summits? Does Harper, the son of an accountant and a guy who stays at Super 8, get this? Does he know the consequences of this boondoggle for his political career?

Edited June 10, 2010 by August1991

[Smallc]

Do you understand that security for about 30 of the worid's most important people, along with tens of thousands of others, doesn't come cheap? The PBO is set to release a report saying that these costs are not at all out of line....they just look really big on paper.

[bush_cheney2004]

Do you understand that security for about 30 of the worid's most important people, along with tens of thousands of others, doesn't come cheap? The PBO is set to release a report saying that these costs are not at all out of line....they just look really big on paper.

Something doesn't make sense here:

The 2008 G8 summit in Japan wracked up security costs of $381-million while the G20 the following year in London tallied $30-million. Last years G20 summit in Pittsburgh was reported to have cost $18-million.

If Canada has its poop so much in a fiscal group, why is it not better prepared to host a meeting that's been scheduled since 2002?

Edited June 10, 2010 by bush_cheney2004

[August1991]

Do you understand that security for about 30 of the worid's most important people, along with tens of thousands of others, doesn't come cheap? The PBO is set to release a report saying that these costs are not at all out of line....they just look really big on paper.

Who says they're the most important people?

And why the "tens of thousands of others"?

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Let me be clear (and I'm a pro-Tory posting here): Stephen Harper is not a cool guy. He's not charming. He has no charisma. His French is strongly accented.

Stephen Harper's main (sole) claim to fame is (was) that he's honest: he spends taxpayer's money wisely, he doesn't waste it and doesn't let dishonest people near him. Stephen Harper's father was a WASP accountant from Leaside.

Well, Stephen Harper just destroyed his reputation with this $930 million two summit political/bureaucratic party in Toronto and Muskoka with the $57,000 fake lake. IOW, Stephen Harper just destroyed his only claim to fame.

I think he'll plummet in the polls, except maybe not - since so many people like me have no elsewhere to go. Jim Prentice, Maxime Bernier even, please - get involved.

Edited June 10, 2010 by August1991

[margrace]

A lot of what they are saying is spent on the G8 and G20 is improving infrastructure in a lot of small areas in the Parry Sound riding of Clement. Why did they shift it to saying it was for G8 and G20. Yes it benefited a certain amount of areas here but it would have generatel a lot less flack if they had called it what it is. I think Clement saw a good way to improve on his 28 vote majority in this region or thought he did. Now it appears to be backfiring on everyone. Yes a little village can use toilets but what did this have to do with the summits?

Edited June 10, 2010 by margrace