Tory appointee on bridge corporation expensed liquor, zoo trips, tours - Politics

Gray was appointed to BWBC's board in 2007. She and her husband, both well-known local Conservative supporters, have donated money to the party and worked on the election campaign of Sarnia's MP.

I am sure her lavish spending on the public dime wasn't reigned in because they didn't want to lose her support. I mean, she was entitled to her entitlements for sure. What else are political appointments for under PM Harper? Why shouldn't she have Filet Mignon and Chianti, ight seeing tours in some of the nicest places in the world and high end wind chimes all appoved by the CPC appointed chair who admits the expenses weren't right but

Finally, in May 2012 the federal government appointed Marcel Beaubien, a former Ontario Progressive Conservative member of the legislature, as the new chair.

Another friendly appointment.

"The first thing I had to do as chair is… I said that I would bring the expenses and — both travel and other expenses — in line with what the government guidelines were. And I created some problem with some of the board members," he told the fifth estate.

I am sure it did. They wanted to continue with their entitlements.

Beaubien didn't stop Gray's trip to Vienna, though he said he could have, and possibly should have.

Yes, he should have but again, why upset a political appointee supporter? It's just more public money.

"I had issues to deal with. And remember, I'm doing this… with my own free time. You know? So consequently, how many battles do you want me to fight for nothing?"

All the ones you need to. All the ones you said you would when you took the oath of office that comes with any board, but again, just public money so not worth the fight.

He said the culture among other board members — before he implemented new rules to eliminate spending on spousal travel, alcohol and sightseeing — was that they felt entitled to the expenses, but the Grays' extra days on business trips abroad were probably unnecessary.

They felt entitled, like a good political appointee at the trough. Man this government is sounding old and tired.

"If you want to be 100 per cent straight and narrow, yeah, you're right, it's probably a holiday."

Damn right, all under the Harper watch after 10 years to supposedly change this type of behaviour. Why follow the rules? Those are only to be enforced after you get caught, not actually for the ruling governments members. That is just for the plebes.

/r/CanadaPolitics Thread Link - cbc.ca