MP Brent Rathgeber quits Tory caucus

[AlienB]

Not much here, but I think the public deserves to know why the government is hiding job descriptions and pay and compensation from the public.

There could be a reasonable reason but just killing the info without providing sound reasons is wholely political and not about public interests.

I loathe autocrats and bureaucrats running government it is a failure for the people.

No suprise but I applaud Brent Rathgeber for taking a stand on his principles,

The public deserves answers, this is just a stonewall on information disclosure without cause, and that is a shame that the government is hiding that information.

If they came back and said, it is a national security risk or that is classified information for x or y reason it might be a valid course of action, but it seems it is just about totalitarian police state tactics of information control for propaganda purposes.

Edited June 6, 2013 by AlienB

[The_Squid]

How about providing a link or something so people know what you're going on about?

[WWWTT]

Here's a link I found.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/alberta-mp-resigns-from-conservative-caucus-over-transparency-bill/article12370980/

WWWTT

[margrace]

Thank goodness there are some honest Conservative still there and who reject Harper's Randism

[scribblet]

It's a foolish political career ending move and won't achieve much of anything.. The party was even supporting his bill in principle, but looking to increase the salary threshold. Now you have to wonder if it will be considered at all. He's cut off his nose to spite his face.

[cybercoma]

It's a foolish political career ending move and won't achieve much of anything.. The party was even supporting his bill in principle, but looking to increase the salary threshold. Now you have to wonder if it will be considered at all. He's cut off his nose to spite his face.

Why does your response not surprise me, scribs?

[scribblet]

Why does your response not surprise me, scribs?

Gee, an enlightened response .

Why does yours not surprise me, cybers. Oh never mind, this forum is now off your rotation .

Edited June 6, 2013 by scribblet

[Boges]

When you consider the Province of Ontario publishes every civil servant that makes $100,000/year it's rather odd that the Feds don't do this.

Upping the threshold to like $400,000 is pointless. I agree with this guy.

But taking your ball and going home won't exactly fix the problem.

[scribblet]

When you consider the Province of Ontario publishes every civil servant that makes $100,000/year it's rather odd that the Feds don't do this.

Upping the threshold to like $400,000 is pointless. I agree with this guy.

But taking your ball and going home won't exactly fix the problem.

Exactly. He should've stayed on to fight for his belief.

[cybercoma]

Gee, an enlightened response .

Why does yours not surprise me, cybers. Oh never mind, this forum is now off your rotation .

If you're going to criticize my reply for not having substance, you might want to actually reply with something of substance. My point is that you're so blindly partisan that even when the Right criticizes Harper you're here to defend him. Even when Conservatives criticize the government, you're here coming to Harper's defence. It's especially sad, since Harper is being criticized for the exact reason he was elected: lack of accountability and transparency. Yet, here you are, still defending him. It's a bit hard to take you seriously when you're completely incapable of thinking critically about what amounts to the Executive Branch of the Canadian government because it's your party. Even when Conservatives try to hold the government accountable, you still defend them. Hell, even the Canadian Taxpayers Federation is criticizing Harper and they're the biggest rightwing shills in the country. What's truly sad about your positions is that the CTF criticized Harper by his own standards. You're so blindly partisan that you can't even see that the goalposts have shifted and you're shooting on your own net. Harper thinks his base is stupid and he just might be right if they can't see that the person the Harper they supported in 2006 would be disgusted with Harper 2013.

[GostHacked]

It's a foolish political career ending move and won't achieve much of anything.. The party was even supporting his bill in principle, but looking to increase the salary threshold. Now you have to wonder if it will be considered at all. He's cut off his nose to spite his face.

The threshold Rathgeber wanted to put place was anything under 188,000 in salary. Other members changed his bill to say anything below 450,000 does not need to be reported on. Wonder how many of these people are in the upper portion of the 450,000 number.

Government does not like disclosure.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/story/2013/06/05/edmonton-brent-rathgeber-resigns-conservative-caucus.html

The bill sought public disclosure of expenses and salaries of government bureaucrats and senior CBC employees or managers earning more than $188,000 a year.

Amendments passed as a result of the Conservative majority on the committee raised that level to $444,661.

[GostHacked]

Scribblet, this also shows that the government does not want the public to know about some things. This guy seems to have some integrity and cannot be part of the club that is collectively screwing the taxpayer who pays for their very high salary.

It's only career ending if you stand up for your beliefs. It's only career ending if you don't go along with the rest and don't rock the boat. If anything we need MORE people like this man in government. And people wonder why we are constantly loosing faith in how these idiots govern the rest of the population. There is a double standard here and that should bother the piss out of anyone who can think for themselves.

Edited June 6, 2013 by GostHacked

[Joe Btfsplk]

It's a foolish political career ending move and won't achieve much of anything.. The party was even supporting his bill in principle, but looking to increase the salary threshold. Now you have to wonder if it will be considered at all. He's cut off his nose to spite his face.

The point of the story isn't about an MP's career, but embarrassment for the government. Harper seems to be digging his own grave. The whole country is up in arms about a sense of entitlement in Ottawa, yet the Conservatives just dig their heels in even deeper to protect a couple of their own rotten apples. Or maybe there's more than just a couple. We'll never know if Harper gets his way.

Trudeau scored big yesterday when he announced that Liberal MPs and senators will post their expenses online. That's what voters want to see, not more hiding behind a cloak of elitism.

[Moonbox]

If you're going to criticize my reply for not having substance, you might want to actually reply with something of substance. My point is that you're so blindly partisan that even when the Right criticizes Harper you're here to defend him. It's especially sad, since Harper is being criticized for the exact reason he was elected: lack of accountability and transparency.

Really well said!

Rathgeber has my respect for doing this. The salary threshold being above $400,000 is totally useless. There's likely only a handful (relatively speaking) of people in all of the federal public service that would make this much, but tons who make $120-400k, so for transparency purposes this achieves next to nothing and is just more lip service to hide that Harper was full of shit and his election promises were worth nothing.

[The_Squid]

Really well said!

Rathgeber has my respect for doing this. The salary threshold being above $400,000 is totally useless. There's likely only a handful (relatively speaking) of people in all of the federal public service that would make this much, but tons who make $120-400k, so for transparency purposes this achieves next to nothing and is just more lip service to hide that Harper was full of shit and his election promises were worth nothing.

That's the strange part... even the very top executives in the public service (EX-05) make less than $200,000. So who is it that would make $400k+???

http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/gui/eg11-eng.asp

EDIT: I suppose anyone making over $200k are not actually part of the civil service but may be heads of crown corps., Deputy Ministers, etc.

Edited June 6, 2013 by The_Squid

[margrace]

I sure would like toknow

[WWWTT]

If you're going to criticize my reply for not having substance, you might want to actually reply with something of substance. My point is that you're so blindly partisan that even when the Right criticizes Harper you're here to defend him. Even when Conservatives criticize the government, you're here coming to Harper's defence. It's especially sad, since Harper is being criticized for the exact reason he was elected: lack of accountability and transparency. Yet, here you are, still defending him. It's a bit hard to take you seriously when you're completely incapable of thinking critically about what amounts to the Executive Branch of the Canadian government because it's your party. Even when Conservatives try to hold the government accountable, you still defend them. Hell, even the Canadian Taxpayers Federation is criticizing Harper and they're the biggest rightwing shills in the country. What's truly sad about your positions is that the CTF criticized Harper by his own standards. You're so blindly partisan that you can't even see that the goalposts have shifted and you're shooting on your own net. Harper thinks his base is stupid and he just might be right if they can't see that the person the Harper they supported in 2006 would be disgusted with Harper 2013.

There could be a long line up at the exodus from the Harper conservative government.

If McKay goes,then we may see a split in the right and a return of a more red tory party.

This could get some traction if there are MP's out west stirring the pot in Harpers' conservative stew.

http://t.co/gfjdBH37X7

We'll have to see what happens in the next coming weeks.

McKay may flip flop on this resolution if it ever wins?

WWWTT

[PIK]

Now that we know harper is not a micro manager as people say. This will be fixed by harper himself. I see JT is going have his people open the books, except housing. Funny. Could it be that sitting 3rd his people do not do much to spend money, except housing.

[GostHacked]

McKay?? The same person who calls in the military for a helicopter ride home after his vacation?

from your linked article

Mr. MacKay said this is the fifth time he has had to stand up for what he calls a “founding principle.”

Can you hear me laughing?

[WWWTT]

Yes actually I did mention that McKay can flip flop if this resolution for leader selection goes through.

But it should be noted that the resolution in the past has died.

We'll see what happens in the next few weeks.

I'll agree that McKay has no backbone and will probably cave in,but there is an slight chance he will wake up!

WWWTT

[cybercoma]

There could be a long line up at the exodus from the Harper conservative government.

WWWTT

Wishful thinking, in my opinion. I would be satisfied with Conservative backbenchers actually holding the government accountable to its promises and the party's principles.

On a side note, it's sad to see Liberals clamouring for this MP to cross the floor. It's not going to happen. The guy is a conservative through and through. The issue he has with the government is not a partisan one, which is why I'm surprised, even though I really shouldn't be, that more backbenchers haven't held the government bench accountable.

[cybercoma]

Now that we know harper is not a micro manager as people say.

He's not? Then why did a backbencher have to leave the party to do exactly what backbenchers are elected to do?

[Boges]

On a side note, it's sad to see Liberals clamouring for this MP to cross the floor. It's not going to happen. The guy is a conservative through and through. The issue he has with the government is not a partisan one, which is why I'm surprised, even though I really shouldn't be, that more backbenchers haven't held the government bench accountable.

Yeah, having highly paid civil servants disclose their salaries (including people that work for the CBC) doesn't sound like something the Liberals would support.

[cybercoma]

Yeah, having highly paid civil servants disclose their salaries (including people that work for the CBC) doesn't sound like something the Liberals would support.

Again, that particular issue is non-partisan. His position on other policies is very much conservative however.

[WWWTT]

Wishful thinking, in my opinion. I would be satisfied with Conservative backbenchers actually holding the government accountable to its promises and the party's principles.

Agreed.

Just throwing it out there.

WWWTT