OTTAWA - The expanded federal cabinet presented by Prime Minister Stephen Harper could cost taxpayers an additional $3.9 million in salaries alone for the extra ministers and their staff.
The total cost of staffing ministerial offices - roughly $24.2 million in salaries - has increased 19 per cent with last week's shuffle, and has jumped 42 per cent since the Tories presented their first cabinet in 2006.
The Conservatives had 26 ministers in their initial 2006 cabinet, expanded that to 31 ministers over their first term in office, and now have 37 ministers following the latest shuffle.
Oh the times they are a changing.
Conservatives were singing a different tune when they took office. When Harper swore in his first ministry on Feb. 6, 2006, he spoke with pride of its limited size compared to the previous Liberal cabinets.
"My smaller cabinet and more streamlined cabinet structure are designed for work - not for show," the prime minister said that day.
4 comments:
Watch Flaherty cut the Proviinces,& Civil Servants.I often wonder what they did with the money they received from the fire sale of 6 or more of our buildings,,under Fortier.
Is this how they are going to keep out of defecit? The 2% sales tax reduction should never have happened
They know their time left in power is very short now, so are feeding hard at the trough.
Attack us for real issues, rather than trying to stir things up with this silliness.
The Liberal cabinets were huge.
.. and it was the Liberals who arranged to sell those buildings:
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2004/09/21/brison_pw040921.html
A point, is a point.. true conservatives, whether Federal or Provincial, have to stand for something, which I've always thought to be, in part, "smaller" government.
Like it or not - James blog is a point taken. If we, as Conservatives, can't tell the emperor when he's wearing no clothes, are we going the party any favors?
Mr. Harper, between "nationhood" for Quebec, and increasing our government.. your undies are starting to show.
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