Monday, August 20, 2012

The PC Gravy Train Just Won't Stop



 It seems like every other week there's something negative coming out about the Alberta PC's that involves some kind of bullying, corruption and skimming off the taxpayer. 

Just recently this summer when you think all should be a quite on the political front, you have three stories.  First the fight over the closing of the long tern care facility at Carmangay,

Then you have AHS CEO Allaudan Merali who was forced to quit over lavish spending.

Then just when you thought that was the end of it for the summer another story.   This time a defeated PC MLA and former Agriculture Minister Evan Berger gets waved by the Ethics Commissioner to be appointed to a cushy cvil servant's job.  There was no job posting or open competition for this position. So that means a job made up just for Berger.  Besides it's against the rules, they have to wait at least 1yr.
A defeated Tory cabinet minister is going back on the Alberta government payroll in an appointment the Wildrose Opposition says raises big concerns over Progressive Conservative cronyism and the politicization of the civil service.
Evan Berger, who was agriculture minister before losing his Livingstone-Macleod riding in the spring provincial election, was offered a contract Thursday as senior policy adviser to deputy minister of agriculture John Knapp.
Knapp said he was solely responsible for hiring Berger to the civil service post based out of Lethbridge — which pays in a range between $120,158 and $157,910, plus pension and benefits — and there was no involvement by any elected members of the Progressive Conservative government.
There was no posting or open competition for the job because Berger had the “exact skill set” needed, he said.
This clearly a slap in the face to Livingstone-Macleod constituents who thought they finally got rid of this guy  (I happen to be one of them).   And it's a slap in the face of taxpayers too.

Clearly nothing has changed within this government and the PC party.  RedAli, Premier Mom had promised this kind of thing would not happen under her leadership. There would be no more "good ole boys club," no more patronage appointments, etc.  Ha, shows how good her word is!

 PC noses are still in the trough taking advantage of the gravy train. They're not even hiding anymore! Enough is enough! Time it stopped!