Contributed by: evilscientist
It would appear that the amount the CPC reimberses the Canadian taxpayer for Stephen's flying around on government jets is considerably less than what it costs taxpayers. Canada's New Government (TM, Pat. Pend.) is looking more and more like Canada's Old Government, if not worse.So flights that cost around $9000 an hour are billed to the Conservative Party at the commercial economy fare rate. So Harper and his buddies are flying around on a government jet, on CPC business and we the taxpayer are on the hook for the vast majority of the cost. Even better is that Harper will try to slip in a couple of minutes of "government business" so that the CPC doesn't have to pay a dime. Harper accused the Liberals of doing this when he was in opposition, and to show us how awful and wrong he thinks the practice is, he's doing it himself.
Now I don't begrudge our leaders having access to government aircraft. Prime Ministers and Premiers have security concerns that preclude flying on commercial airliners. However, when on personal or party business, the taxpayer shouldn't have to pick up the tab. This is just another sign of the Tories using the taxpayer as their personal bank account. I'd like to see the Conservatives or their supporters explain away this one without resorting to stating how much worse the Liberals were or that the new "accountability" act will put a stop to this, since it obviously isn't.
I suspect that in future, the amount of flying Harper does on the taxpayer dime will be classified as secret so that inconvenient truths about it don't pop up in the media again. It would appear that the Tories have no clue what open and accountable mean since they're now making the Liberals look like choir boys.
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Evilness
http://www.evilscientist.ca/article.php?story=2007022820440499