What do you think of politicians who abuse their expense accounts or those political types who stick their fingers into money that belongs to a non-profit organization?
Of course, it boils down to dishonesty in the end.
It’s money that comes out of our pockets, my friends.
Of course you know about Linda Reid, Speaker of the B.C. legislature, who took her husband on a trip to South Africa where she was to attend a conference. There’s nothing wrong with a spouse going on a trip, but they better pay the transportation costs and anything else related to them being there.
Why should the taxpayers have to dig into their pockets to pay for political significant others?
Linda Reid did apologize to the people of B.C. for the mistake and quickly paid back the $5,500 for her husband’s part of the South African journey.
Jenny Kwan, longtime NDP member who has advocated for the poor and for those less fortunate, ripped off the Portland Hotel Society when her husband charged for a trip to Disneyland and to Europe with her and their two kids.
Kwan did pay back the $35,000 that was wrongly charged to the society to pay for the holiday, even though she says it was her husband’s fault.
Now Kwan has taken an unpaid leave of absence from the B.C. legislature. I’m not sure anyone has done that before. Who is looking after her constituents?
Not long ago some senators were also scamming the public by claiming expenses that were not legitimate.
Some suggest those in public office should resign when they are caught messing around with taxpayers’ money and of course the dollars should be paid back to government.
Can you imagine if you were working in private industry and you ripped off the company for $35,000, how long do you think you would remain on the payroll?
Kwan and the NDP are also having their own party problems with dissension in the party ranks. Now, former New Democrat Premier Mike Harcourt has quit the NDP party over growing unhappiness.
He was not happy with former leader Adrian Dix when he told voters in the last election that the NDP would not support the Kinder Morgan pipeline.
It looks like Harcourt is supporting John Horgan for the NDP leadership.
Ken Wilson is a freelance columnist with the Tribune/Advisor.