2015-12-15 No, Pamela Wallin.

My Christmas gift of joy to each of you is three little telephone calls.  I had great fun wrapping each up with a big bow.  Read on to receive yours!

Pamela Wallin claimed Senate travel expenses back-and-forth to her “home” in Wadena, Saskatchewan.  Wallin lives in Toronto.   When she was caught with her hand in the cookie jar,  she had a valid Ontario Health Card giving her primary residence as Toronto.

Nobody needs a rule book to know that what she did was wrong.

Pamela Wallin is skilled at excusing herself.  And oh!  she repaid $151 thousand.

Conservative Senator Bob Runciman offers:  (2015-12-10 Senators have little interest in suspending Pamela Wallin a 2nd time  CBC)

“he’s comfortable with having her back (in Senate).  “I think anyone who is left out there twisting in the wind for over two years, it’s not right . . . “.

And by the way, it’s the fault of the RCMP because they haven’t brought charges against her yet.

Conservative leader in the Senate Claude Carignan and Conservative Senator Carolyn Stewart Olsen say Wallin should continue to sit.  (A classic example of the need for independent, arms’ length audit and adjudication, whether for doctors, lawyers, municipal council, NGO’s or senators – – human beings in joint cause bond with each other, they lose their ability to see clearly).

As I see it,  Pamela Wallin in her Senate job is an employee of the citizens of Canada.  If employees wrongfully take $150,000,  the employer takes action to recover the money,  AND the employee loses their job and all its benefits, including any right to severance pay.  The employee will often be prosecuted, pay a fine and do time in jail.

The costs of corrupted leadership (Senators are in leadership roles) is more than the cost inflicted by the individual leader. People gifted with leadership positions in a society are, by definition, role models.  To the extent that we allow leadership positions to be filled by self-serving, corrupt role models,  we should expect those traits to be reflected in the society.

Penalties for people in leadership roles who break the public trust should be harsher than for others because their actions do great damage to support for our system of governance.  Corruption undermines and erodes the base.  If ten Senators do what Wallin does, that’s $1.5 million dollars.  It creates an incentive for people not to pay taxes.

Long ago my Dad told me he didn’t mind paying taxes because the money was needed and well spent.  It helped out.  His view changed as corruption increased.  He cursed the perpetrators and begrudged paying taxes – – too much flows into the wrong pockets.

The more that citizens are lax in the expectation and insistence on meritorious behavior in public service. the faster will corruption spread.   The society enters a downward spiral – – greater inequity as resources are diverted away from serving the public need into the hands of the “influential”.

Inequity inexorably feeds violence.  I think we know that.

(Human beings have an innate sense of what is “fair”.  Parents and teachers deal with shouts, fights and tears over “that’s not fair!”.)

NO, to Pamela Wallin.

The four Senators,  Wallin, Runciman, Carignan and Olsen, were appointed to Canadian leadership roles in the Senate by a “Tough on Crime” Administration, ironically.  They appear to believe that what is good for the goose (their employers, us citizens). isn’t good for the gander (their cozy elite).  Some are downright brazen in their contempt for the gooses!

My little gift to you, fellow citizen:

I telephoned the offices of Runciman, Olsen and Carignan on your behalf (without prior consent, but with hope you will like your present).   The calls were answered immediately by the Senator’s Policy Advisor.   I asked for the Senator,  none were in.  But never mind, the Advisors were most agreeable to passing along my sentiments to their Senator.

I told them the Senators are out of touch with people if they think that it’s okay not to take the steps to bar Wallin from Senate  (basically the reasons provided above).   Added:  Canadians-in-the-street are kinda angry.   One of the Advisors was of the same view as me, needed no convincing.    I had some little laughs with two of them.  I had the feeling that Conservative partisans are quite happy to actually hear what is being told to them.  (? effects of the Senate scandals and Election results?)

They seemed to be genuine in their expression of thanks for the call.  It provides them with what they need to give their Senator a shake.

If you like,  here are the 3 phone numbers or email addresses if you want to  give the same little gift, to some of your friends, as you received from me.

A few times over the years, there has been no need to take to the streets, banging our pots and pans as they do in Quebec.  A small effort by some of us, phone calls or emails under the right circumstances, have the power to stop some of the corruption, serving as deterrence for more.

From the information in   2015-12-10 Senators have little interest in suspending Pamela Wallin a 2nd time

the Senators to contact, the ones who need to say NO, PAMELA WALLIN:

Claude Carignan,  613-992-0240  or 1-800-267-7362,  claude.carignan@sen.parl.gc.ca

Carolyn Stewart-Olsen, 613-992-0121  or 1-800-267-7362,  carolyn.stewartolsen@sen.parl.gc.ca

Bob Runciman, : (613) 943-4020,  barry.raison@sen.parl.gc.ca

 

Just tell them what you think.  

Things are happning in our ol’ world!  What a great time to be alive.

It brings me joy to join in the movements, even if it’s in small ways.

WISHING you peace this Christmas season will have little effect.

ACTIONING  corruption does have the potential.

It may be a long path from corruption to violence, but they are connected.  Look south of the border.