Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Respect for taxpayers! Part II

A little Taxpayer Federation head on former Taxpayer Federation head violence for you tonight. Metaphorically speaking, of course!
A Tory MP who used public funds to endorse his political successor should repay the money, the Canadian Taxpayers Federation said Wednesday.
Awwwwkward! Since the political successor whom the Tory MP was blessing is the past head of the Taxpayers Federation!
Williamson was a senior adviser to the prime minister and is also a former national director of the taxpayers federation. He won the nomination in New Brunswick Southwest with nearly 60 per cent of the vote on Oct. 23, five days after the letter was sent.

Kevin Gaudet, the taxpayer federation's current national director, said his group has always opposed the use of taxpayer's money for partisan purposes.

"I think it would be appropriate for (Thompson) to pay for whatever the cost was...I can't imagine it's a lot of money but that's not the point,'' said Gaudet. "He should pay it back."
That is an interesting idea that Gaudet has there. Someone should reimburse the taxpayer, that's for sure. Speaking on behalf of myself, I do not support my dollars being spent on candidates in Conservative nomination races, to be crystal clear. No way, no how!

Now if we're not holding our breath on Mr. Thompson (or even the Conservative Party of Canada) shelling out, then the expense should still be pursued with the Speaker's office or whatever internal parliamentary body it is who has jurisdiction over such issues. Thompson's letter should indeed be addressed.

And let's not let John Williamson, the former taxpayers guy who has been the beneficiary of that taxpayer funded mailing, off the hook. That letter written on his behalf by the Tory MP was well timed to coincide with the nomination meeting. It's like a taxpayer funded contribution to his campaign, of sorts. Surely he is uncomfortable, given his past employment history, with that situation? The irony, it is strong with this one!

To be continued, I'm sure...