MP Russ Hiebert in 2004: “We have to keep the Liberals’ feet to the fire over government waste.” Hiebert in 2010: “It is a lot of money, but that’s the cost of democracy in a country as large as Canada.” FRIDAY, MAY 28, 2010
www.thenownewspaper.com
❚OUR VIEW
SLAP IN THE FACE!
Hiebert’s mantra on expenses: He’s entitled, the money’s there, he’s taking it, so deal with it. So much for reducing spending.
L
❚EXPENSES/MP defends spending while irate residents call for audit
Hiebert ‘should give it back’
SURREY – Outrage is growTed COLLEY Staff Reporter ing over Conservative MP Russ Hiebert’s free spending ways. Hiebert (South Surrey-White Rock-Cloverdale) racked up a total of $637,093 in expenses during the 2008-09 federal fiscal year, the largest amount among B.C. MPs and second highest in all of Canada. The national average was $432,728. The totals include amounts spent to operate MPs’ offices in Ottawa and at home and pay staff, advertising, printing and travel. Hiebert said his expenses were higher because he uses taxpayer money to fly his wife and two small daughters back and forth between Ottawa and his home riding. Hiebert spent $214,360 on out-of-riding travel in 2008-09. “The reason my expenses were near the top that year is because, as the parents of two young girls, my wife Andrea and I are committed to keeping our family
together,” the MP wrote in an email. “That means we travel together the weeks Parliament is in session.” Hiebert went on to say his spending was within parliamentary guidelines for such things, an assertion confirmed by the Speaker’s office in Ottawa. Even so, the Now spoke to several constituents who weren’t pleased to hear their MP was spending so much money. “I think it’s terrible. I make less than $40,000 a year and I don’t think I should be paying all that so he can drag his family around the country,” said Don Jerrison of White Rock. “Those guys are already paid too much anyway. He should give it back.” Jerrison isn’t alone in his protest of Hiebert’s spending habits. Jay Fettinger is president of the White Rock & South Surrey Chamber of Commerce and founder of the Fettinger Investment Group.
see HIEBERT page 3
ast year was a tough one financially for many Canadians as our country was caught up in a global recession. While many of us cut back our spending, feared for our jobs and held on desperately waiting for an end to the downturn, Conservative MP Russ Hiebert piled up roughly four times his annual salary in expenses – $637,093 for the year. Most of that, $422,733, went to paying for office space and staff, office equipment, printing and other costs associated with the job. A little more than one-third of the total, however, went to the cost of travel between his riding (South Surrey-White Rock-Cloverdale) and Ottawa for Hiebert and his wife and two children. Hiebert appears puzzled that anyone would be offended at him spending $214,360 ferrying himself and his family back and forth. He wants to keep his family together and if that’s what it costs well, that’s what it costs. We agree with the many Canadians who have responded to Hiebert’s high roller spending with outrage. Spending that kind of money during a recession is a slap in the face to ordinary Canadians. Hiebert’s party campaigned on promises to reduce government spending and eliminate waste in Ottawa. When the Conservatives were in opposition, they relentlessly attacked the Liberals for their “sense of entitlement.” Hiebert defends his spending by saying it meets the rules set out for such things. It’s true, he’s broken no rules, but while obeying the letter of the law, he has abandoned the spirit of the Conservative Party of Canada in opposition. His new mantra is: I’m entitled, the money’s there, I’m taking it, deal with it. Mr. Hiebert, you don’t want to be separated from your family. Fair enough. But do you really expect the Canadian taxpayer to pick up this kind of tab year after year? Maybe this isn’t the job for you.