ARGH!!! This, THIS is why people hate politicians:
MPs quietly extend own benefits 'Sweetheart' bill tops up medical plan at 50, not 55
Tim Naumetz
CanWest News Service
Thursday, March 18, 2004
OTTAWA - Government and opposition MPs took only minutes last week to pass a bill that will extend Parliament's medical insurance plan to retired MPs five years earlier than it would otherwise be available.
The legislation will allow 50-year-old former MPs to receive topped-up medical and hospital benefits until they qualify for the normal parliamentary retirement plan that kicks in at age 55.
In a deal reached earlier in private, all parties agreed to treat the bill as though it had received first reading in the usual process, second reading, committee hearings, committee report stage, and third and final reading in only 15 minutes, according to the time notations in Hansard.
The bill did not leave the Commons floor and no committee hearings took place.
Only three MPs, government House leader Jacques Saada, former Conservative leader Joe Clark and Bloc Quebecois MP Benoit Sauvageau, spoke to the bill, all in support.
This with Paul Martin making big talk about getting rid of government waste and excess.
It really peeves me off the way the government just passes through all the stuff involving their benefits and pay raises and stuff. This reminds of another article I read awhile back about how McGuinty was planning on pushing through a 2.7% pay raise for Ontario government workers or something, to "keep up with inflation costs". He made it sound like they were being all noble by taking just the 2.7 or whatever percent too, instead of the 12-something proposed by someone. Their base salary is like $85,000!!!! You want to talk about people who need to keep up with inflation? How about the people earning minimum wage? The people on welfare? It just makes me sick.
I think there should be a separate body to deal with government pay/benefits, because if you ask people whether or not they approve of increased pay/benefits, of COURSE they're going to approve, whether or not it's in the best interest of the budget/general public.
*seethes* This is why I'd never make a good politician. I'd probably want to speak up against such a bill, or, at the very least, the way in which it was being passed. Or I'd leak it to the press or something and get my butt fired. Disgusting. They take forever debating about things that concern us, but have no problem pushing through things that benefit them, right away. ARGH. Anyway, I suppose I should reserve judgement on the government as whole until the bill gets to the Senate. It'll probably get passed anyway, but if it doesn't the government will have redeemed itself in my eyes somewhat.
