Civil servants got full pay while not working
Since the COVID pandemic struck, one of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s most-repeated mantra’s was “we’re all in this together.”
That infers everyone has to pitch in equally and make sacrifices.
But it appears some people have been more isolated from the hard-times inflicted by COVID than others.
The daily House of Commons Question Period is famous for the fact that government MPs almost never give a straight answer to a direct question. (Maybe that’s why it’s called Question Period, not Answer Period).
So one tool available is called an Order Paper Question, whereby any Member of Parliament can ask a pointed and tough question in writing to government departments and individuals and they’re mandated to respond.
I filed an Order Paper Question months ago to find out just how many federal civil servants have been at home and are being paid despite not actually doing any work.
The answer I received might shock you.
In the civil service they have a special type of leave called “other leave with pay” or 699 leave.
Looking at the numbers provided to my Order Paper Question reveals a whopping 38% or 111,577 employees were approved for so-called 699 leave since March.
That represents about 18.19 million hours of paid leave for federal government workers.
This all came at a time when hundreds of thousands of other Canadians lost their jobs entirely.
It also came amid reports that 200,000 Canadian businesses are at risk of permanent closure.
In Canada, we need good, hard-working civil servants and many of them are just that — because I know many of them.
But Canadians would be right to be upset that so many of those civil servants were getting full salaries while actually having no work to do at all.
Those same Canadians are also right to be cynical when they hear the prime minister say “we’re all in this together.” Obviously some Canadians have fared far better than others.
Here’s a Toronto Sun article based on these work statistics I demanded and received through my Order Paper Question:
What do you think of this situation? As usual, your comments are always welcome.
E-mail: kerry.diotte@parl.gc.ca
Today’s NDP is not your father’s NDP
Alberta government announces new COVID-19 rules
Apply for the new and improved Canada Emergency Rent Subsidy
We Conservatives have worked on improving Canada’s new rent relief program. To find out more or see if you’re eligible click the link below.
I had a great talk with members of the Edmonton Friends of Hong Kong group
Glad to have a Zoom meeting with this group fighting against the Communist crackdown against democracy in Hong Kong. (Many in this group don’t want to be photographed for fear of repercussions being carried out against them from the Communist regime).
Trudeau misinforms about misinformation
By: LORRIE GOLDSTEIN
Toronto Sun
Proving yet again that what goes around comes around, the Trudeau Liberals, having accused the Conservatives all last week of spreading fake news about COVID-19, finished off the week on Friday by spreading fake news about the Conservatives and COVID-19.
That occurred when the Prime Minister’s Office issued a release just after 4:30 pm.
It said in a just-completed phone call with Conservative leader Erin O’Toole, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had “raised concerns around COVID-19 misinformation being promoted by Conservative Members of Parliament, given Conservative MPs recently downplayed the deaths of Canadians in Alberta due to COVID-19 and compared COVID-19 to the flu.”
The problem was the phone call wasn’t scheduled until 45 minutes later at 5:15 pm.
(You can read the full column by Lorrie Goldstein, Toronto Sun at the link below.)
Last week’s straw poll results
Last week I asked folks if they supported Trudeau’s ‘reset’ plan.
People overwhelmingly said they didn’t support Trudeau’s plan to “reset” the economy.
I hear you. We’re in the middle of a crisis. This isn’t the time for “reimagining” the economy and toy with our future. We need the government to focus on prioritizing Canadians lives and livelihoods not creating even more uncertainty.
A big thanks to everyone who took part.
Have your say
Do you support defunding the police here in Edmonton?
Have your say in my new unofficial poll. I’ll publish the results in next week’s e-newsletter.
Latest news on COVID-19
You can find up-to-date information from Alberta Public Health or the Public Health Agency of Canada.
Alberta Public Health can also be reached by phone at 811.
Benefits available for Canadians
There are programs available to help you and your family.
In the news
- City of Edmonton considers eliminating spay and neuter programs to dismay of local rescues. Link
- The NDP MP who’s smitten with dictatorships. Link
- Trudeau’s blaming Harper on vaccines — but it goes back to Chretien. Link
- Freeland’s budget: There isn’t one. Link
- Patty Hajdu thinks my COVID writing is ‘fake and dangerous.’ Link
- A pathetic display by an anti-Jordan Peterson woke mob. Link
- Bank of Canada gets in on the Great Reset. Link
- Government refuses to reveal how many WE documents were withheld from MPs. Link
- Out of touch mainstream media has lost the trust of Canadians. Link
- Another business gets shut down in the name of social justice. Link
- Documents offer new details on flyers, cost to quarantine, and exemptions granted. Link
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Thanks so much. Stay healthy!
E-mail:
Kerry.Diotte@parl.gc.ca
Phone:
(780) 495-3261
Mail (postage free):
Kerry Diotte, MP
House of Commons
Ottawa, ON K1A 0A6