Statement made on 26 November 2008 by Senator Jim Munson
Hon. Jim Munson:
Honourable senators, I have a question for the Leader of the Government in the Senate.
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I believe we can agree that cutting expenses to save taxpayers money is a good idea, but this government has the order of things wrong. Why talk about cutting increases and salaries for politicians and senior public servants when this government could have saved more than $4 million by simply maintaining the size of cabinet from the previous Parliament? I repeat: $4 million.
Honourable senators, it has not taken long for this government to increase its own cabinet expenses by choosing to make one out of four Conservative members of the House of Commons a minister or minister of state. Since 2006, salaries for this government have increased by 43 per cent.
Can the Leader of the Government in the Senate please explain why her government chooses to make others pay for its own excesses?
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