Dingwall resigns "to clear his name"

[Canuck E Stan]

Reading about Dingwall resigning to "clear his name"

Interestingly the CBC report makes no mention of the Lobbying aspect of this story.

Dingwall resigns

While Canada.com does.

He has also been criticized for failing to register as a lobbyist for Bioniche Life Sciences Inc., a Toronto pharmaceutical company.

Reports have said the company agreed to pay Dingwall up to $350,000 for his help in securing grants under a Technology Partnerships Canada program -- even though program rules forbid hiring lobbyists.

So here we go again,another Liberal making the news.Think he'll clear his name,or will he be toast?

[cybercoma]

chorus:

THIS IS AN ISOLATED INCIDENT! :angry:

[shoop]

chorus:

THIS IS AN ISOLATED INCIDENT! :angry:

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Denial ain't just a river in Egypt.

[tml12]

Reading about Dingwall resigning to "clear his name"

Interestingly the CBC report makes no mention of the Lobbying aspect of this story.

Dingwall resigns 

While Canada.com does.

He has also been criticized for failing to register as a lobbyist for Bioniche Life Sciences Inc., a Toronto pharmaceutical company.

Reports have said the company agreed to pay Dingwall up to $350,000 for his help in securing grants under a Technology Partnerships Canada program -- even though program rules forbid hiring lobbyists.

So here we go again,another Liberal making the news.Think he'll clear his name,or will he be toast?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Because he had a high ranking (and high ranking officials usually find some way out of their own bad deeds) I think he'll get out of it. However, it still doesn't justify what he did and I hope he is prosecuted for his wrongdoings.

[BHS]

David Dingwall. It shows how closely I've followed federal politics for me to state that I thought he was still a cabinet minister, and I was going to express my shock that a Liberal cabinet minister had resigned for anything short of a blood-soaked satanic murder on the steps of Parliament Hill during a media scrum. But it appears Liberal cabinet ministers maintain their 1000 average for Shawinagan-style respectability.

Pray tell, why would the head of the Mint need to spend $140000 on travel (in a year, no less)? Are their mint conventions? Is he studying third world coin-stamping techniques? If he works in Ottawa but chooses to maintain his residence in Peggy's Cove, why should the public foot the bill for his commute?

Further, what's with the "legitimate" golf club fees? Who does he need to schmooze? His product sells itself. And since when is being a member in good standing of the Nova Scotia Bar Association a requirement for printing money?

So what if the mint went from losing money to making money? Am I expected to believe that Dingwall's talent is responsible for the turnaround? In eight months? Sounds like only the complimentary part of that story is being told. The Canada Customs and Revenue Service technically "loses" money 8 months a year too - should we credit the head bean-counter when revenues pick up in early January?

[August1991]

While driving today, I heard this story on CBC/Radio-Canada today and I agree with all of the above.

It was sandwiched in between other stories as an after thought, something about previous minister, blah-blah, clear name, blah-blah, in other news...

BTW, Warren Kinsella was Dingwall's chief of staff at Public Works.

Dingwall's salary at the Mint was 277,000$ but he got reimbursed for a $1.29 package of Dentyne on an expense claim.

The Liberals have created a nomenklatura every bit as sophisticated as the CPSU did.

At this very moment, I'm sure there are ex-Liberal MPs looking at this story and saying, "WTF? Chretien gave Dingwall 277,000? How come I only get 180,000 as Consul-General in ....?"

[kimmy]

David Dingwall was also a key figure in Gomery testimony earlier this year wasn't he?

Dude's having a bad year.

-k

[Argus]

chorus:

THIS IS AN ISOLATED INCIDENT! :angry:

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Not even an "incident". If you listen to Martin Dingwall is an outstanding servant of hte public. If you listen to Reg Alcock, whose department is supposed to be keeping an eye on spending Dingwall did nothing wrong and should never have resigned.

Clearly the Liberals see nothing wrong with this sort of spending.

[Canuck E Stan]

The slap in the face to the taxpayers by Dingwall wasn't so much the meal bill for $5,953,it was the charging of $1.29 on the expense account for a pack of gum.

Come on,give us a break.

[tml12]

The slap in the face to the taxpayers by Dingwall wasn't so much the meal bill for $5,953,it was the charging of $1.29 on the expense account for a pack of gum.

Come on,give us a break.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

It is the arrogance of our elected officials forgetting that they represent us that really angers me.

[Canuck E Stan]

Feds considering severance package for Dingwall

Earlier in the day, McCallum indicated that Dingwall may receive a severance package from the federal government.

What's the chance the package is Dentyne?

[Guest eureka]

Didn't the union just give Dingwall a ringing endorsement?

[Canuck E Stan]

...and I'm sure the general gum chewing public will too.

[Riverwind]

Dingwall's salary at the Mint was 277,000$ but he got reimbursed for a $1.29 package of Dentyne on an expense claim.

The mint has annual revenues of 327 million per year. A salary of $277,00 is not out of line when compared to the private sector. Many private sector executives with bill their companies for ridiculous items and bilk their shareholders.

Furthermore, a significant percentage of CEOs in the private sector owe their position to who they know rather than what they know. In that sense the process of selecting CEOs at crown corporations is no worse than the private sector.

The arguement that CEOs of private companies only defraud shareholders is not a defence. Lack of ethics is lack of ethics - whether in the public sector or private. If we expect our politicians to meet certain standards then we should not forgive corporate leaders for engaging in similar unethical activities.

[cybercoma]

chorus:

THIS IS AN ISOLATED INCIDENT! :angry:

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Not even an "incident". If you listen to Martin Dingwall is an outstanding servant of hte public. If you listen to Reg Alcock, whose department is supposed to be keeping an eye on spending Dingwall did nothing wrong and should never have resigned.

Clearly the Liberals see nothing wrong with this sort of spending.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

If this doesn't even slightly bother Canadians, I'm sorely disappointed.

[Canuck E Stan]

Tories: Dingwall severance is PM's call

OTTAWA (CP) - The Conservatives say government documents show the federal government isn't obligated to give severance pay to David Dingwall.

Tory MP Brian Pallister says the decision whether Dingwall should get severance is in the prime minister's hands. Dingwall, who resigned Wednesday from the Royal Canadian Mint following allegations of questionable spending and lobbying, is poised to get a healthy severance package.

But Pallister argues Prime Minister Paul Martin could decide not to issue Dingwall a cheque.

Revenue Minister John McCallum says severance packages are normal practice.

He told the Commons that he got a package when he quit the Royal Bank to enter politics.

I hope Martin makes the "right" choice.

[August1991]

I have to say this, as embarrassing as it sounds.

The French press in Canada has now covered this Dingwall story extensively. For two reasons, I think.

First, Dingwall is such an Anglo-Saxon name in French. If someone was writing a novel and it required an English personnage, the name would be "Dingwall". Dingwall is "Clouseau" in French.

Second, it is reassuring to know that the Liberal Party has thieves in Englsih too.

[Argus]

I have to say this, as embarrassing as it sounds.

The French press in Canada has now covered this Dingwall story extensively.  For two reasons, I think.

First, Dingwall is such an Anglo-Saxon name in French.  If someone was writing a novel and it required an English personnage, the name would be "Dingwall".  Dingwall is "Clouseau" in French.

Second, it is reassuring to know that the Liberal Party has thieves in Englsih too.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

What irritates me is that the entire Liberal caucus would likely be in a great, indignant huff if you suggested Dingwall was a thief. We've already heard from Martin, and several of his ministers to the point they really don't see that Dingwall did anything wrong. It's that overwhelming sense of entitlement long-time Liberals get, where they believe they are entitled to anything the taxpayer can supply. I make a fraction of what Dingwall does, but I can tell you that even if I could submit expense claims for the likes of gum and bottled watered I wouldn't bother. It's only a couple of bucks, after all.

On the other hand, several layers up I can tell you that the DG of my directorate has his newspaper picked up by his secretary, and the department pays for it. Why? I have to pay for my own newspaper. Why can't he? Likewise I know a director who submits every little bill he gets, like $3 parking stubs.

[Riverwind]

Second, it is reassuring to know that the Liberal Party has thieves in Englsih too.

Please explain to me what Dingwall has done to earn the label 'theif'. The salary is not out of line with the salary for private sector CEOs who run $300 million+ corporations. His expense claims are trivial but are also typical of corporate executives.

The only issue I see is his work as a unregistered lobbiest and the possibility that he sought and received commissions that were against the rules for obtaining gov't grants. If those allegations are founded then the company that paid the commisions is responsible for returning them to the gov't so you cannot claim that Dingwall 'stole' public money.

[Argus]

Second, it is reassuring to know that the Liberal Party has thieves in Englsih too.

Please explain to me what Dingwall has done to earn the label 'theif'. The salary is not out of line with the salary for private sector CEOs who run $300 million+ corporations. His expense claims are trivial but are also typical of corporate executives.

Dingwall is NOT a corporate executive. Dingwall is a middling lawyer with friends in the Liberal Party. A poor excuse for a politician who did a miserable job as a minister, he was gifted with this job and a huge salary as a reward for his political loyalty. I highly doubt he was allowed to make any real decisions, though, having no experience or knowledge whatsoever on how to succesfully manage a corporation like the Mint.

As such, every time he cashed his pay cheque he was stealing from us, in the same way that other numerous other unqualified Liberals in government patronage jobs steal from us.

And please don't suggest his time as a minister provides any such experience. With rare exceptions, ministers are not allowed to actually make any decisions or do much of anything. This is unsurprising given most of them are completely unqualified and lack any real experience with the duties they're given.

Bill Graham, as one example chosen mostly at random, knew absolutely zero about the military, about military people, the military culture, military purchasing, military matters - even military history when he got the job. Do you actually think he gets to make any decisions over there? They give him a big office, but his deputy minister runs the place, taking directions from the PMO and the Clerk of the Privy Council, and tells Graham what to sign and say.

I think the outrage many feel is that, despite being gifted with such largesse at our expense, the greedy SOB had the gall to rub it in by charging us for gum and water.

[Riverwind]

Dingwall is NOT a corporate executive. Dingwall is a middling lawyer with friends in the Liberal Party. A poor excuse for a politician who did a miserable job as a minister, he was gifted with this job and a huge salary as a reward for his political loyalty. I highly doubt he was allowed to make any real decisions, though, having no experience or knowledge whatsoever on how to successfully manage a corporation like the Mint.

A large percentage of jobs from the mail room up to the executive suite are awarded based on the contacts a person has rather than the skills the person has. In most cases the person may be less qualified on paper than other applicants but still gets the job. There are many examples of 'qualified' CEOs who are parachuted into companies selling products or services that they know nothing about and they often have to rely on the advice of the people reporting to them.

I would love to see a world where only the most qualified people got the jobs and someone's personal connections did not count for anything. Unfortunately, that is not the way the world works and going ballistic over one ex-minister who _might_ have been promoted out of his depth does not change a thing.

The word 'might' in the last statement important, I don't know anything about Dingwall's competence and I suspect you don't either. You are just making assumptions about his capabilities based only on the fact that he belongs to the Liberal party.

[Argus]

A large percentage of jobs from the mail room up to the executive suite are awarded based on the contacts a person has rather than the skills the person has.

Which is no big deal when you're delivering mail. Any idiot can deliver mail, or at least learn to. It IS a big deal when you're expected to be running an enormous corporations - and are rewarded as if you had the knowledge and know-how to do so.

There are many examples of 'qualified' CEOs who are parachuted into companies selling products or services that they know nothing about and they often have to rely on the advice of the people reporting to them.

Perhaps. But Dingwall is NOT a "qualified CEO".

The word 'might' in the last statement important, I don't know anything about Dingwall's competence and I suspect you don't either. You are just making assumptions about his capabilities based only on the fact that he belongs to the Liberal party.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

No, I'm going on years of watching and listening to him and stories about him. He was one of the most greasy politicians ever to climb up onto the Ottawa stage, and was always in charge of the trough for Chretien. He was noted for being self-righteous on any questions about government ineptitude, and highly loyal to Chretien. He was not noted for competence at his jobs - one of which included Public Works as the sponsorship scandal was being played out.

[mcqueen625]

"Dingwall said he has asked the Mint's board of directors to strike an independent committee to review the appropriateness of all the expenses, and is confident he will be vindicated."

An review by a Board which was also appointed by the Liberal Machine does not make me feel all warm and fuzzy, since they are not likely to implicate another Liberal in wrong doings. What we need is for the Auditor General to do this investigation and then the truth might actually get told. I have no faith that this government regardless of who is running it will ever be truly honest with the taxpayer's of this country. Just as I have no faith that Gomery is going to produce anything except a white-wash report on the Sponsorship Program. When has anyone ever seen a politician take ownership for inappropriate practices, and that is especially true for this Liberal Federal Government ?

Little wonder people have absolutely no faith in politicians in general. We desperately need to change the way our government is structured and elected. We also need insert personal accountability from our elected representatives instead of them putting the blame on some petty bureaucratic scapegoat, who the gets rewarded by the court's wih a slap on the wrist resulting in house arrest after stealing $millions from the taxpayer's coffers. what a farce this country has become. Someone recently referred to Canada as nothing but a Banana Republic when discussing the misappropriation, and outright theft of taxpayer's money by both politician's and their appointees.

[August1991]

The government says it will pay David Dingwall as little as it can get away with in a severance package following his departure as head of the Royal Canadian Mint.

--

"The government will pay to Mr. Dingwall only what it is legally required to pay and not a penny more," McCallum said under questioning in the Commons.

CP

Uh, does this mean that other Liberals have received more than they were legally entitled to?

"The real reason for this severance package is it's hush money for David Dingwall," Conservative Leader Stephen Harper charged in the House.

This is nearer the truth.

Somebody leaked this because they wanted to embarrass someone. How sad it is that the only reason we are finding out about this is because of some internecine war within the Liberal Party. It is like Khruschev's speech to the XXth Party Congress about the excesses of Stalin.

[Riverwind]

Uh, does this mean that other Liberals have received more than they were legally entitled to?

The CEO of CIBC received 50 million in bonuses and resigned a week before CIBC announces a 2.5 billion payment to clean up a mess created by that CEO. Where was your outrage then?

The fact is, whatever severance package Dingwall is entitled to it is likely no worse than the disgusting severance packages that handed out to corporate CEOs every day. If you have a problem with these kinds of pay outs then you should be calling for better ethics on Bay street because CEOs of government crown corporations will always have to have 'competitive' compensation packages.

If you believe that Dingwall was not qualified for the job then present your evidence and call for a changes to the appointment process. Getting mad about a compensenation and severence package is silly.