[Newsbot]

Title: Harper approved $22K hospitality tab for bureaucrats
Category: Political
Posted By: Curtman
Date: 2012-02-26 09:28:13
Canadian

[Curtman]

$1:

The final tab for the Oct. 18-20 event was almost $112,000, including travel, hotels, musical entertainment and $2,250 in gifts for delegates.
...
The OECD hospitality tab is among the highest for any minister since the Tories first came to power in 2006.
...
The Tories' current program review, led by Tony Clement, the Treasury Board president, has been widely criticized for being conducted behind closed doors in an information vacuum.

They could have saved a few bucks and had the thing at Tony's $50,000 gazebo.

[jeff744]

$1:

Partly because budgeted hospitality costs exceeded the $5,000 threshold imposed by government rules, Harper had to personally pre-approve the expected bill as head of the Privy Council Office. The prime minister's signature was also necessary to OK the free alcohol.

I am beginning to think Harper thinks he is Judge Dredd.

[raydan]

I just find this funny... and ironic.

$1:

Visitors included a six-person delegation from the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development secretariat in Paris, who joined Harper and Canadian public servants to discuss how to manage major government cuts in spending.

[Proculation]

well, 22K to make billions in cuts, that's a good return on investment! I don't think Harper wants to shut down the federal government and running it requires some spending.

[Curtman]

Proculation Proculation:

well, 22K to make billions in cuts, that's a good return on investment! I don't think Harper wants to shut down the federal government and running it requires some spending.

He's already shut parliament down 3 times. I don't think it saved them any money.

[OnTheIce]

These types of conversations is why politics in this Country is a shit-show.

Never about real issues, just trying to score points with the public and media. It comes from all sides of the political spectrum.

Government spends money to travel. Get the fuck over it.

[jeff744]

OnTheIce OnTheIce:

These types of conversations is why politics in this Country is a shit-show.

Never about real issues, just trying to score points with the public and media. It comes from all sides of the political spectrum.

Government spends money to travel. Get the fuck over it.

They spend four times the government imposed caps?

[OnTheIce]

jeff744 jeff744:

OnTheIce OnTheIce:

These types of conversations is why politics in this Country is a shit-show.

Never about real issues, just trying to score points with the public and media. It comes from all sides of the political spectrum.

Government spends money to travel. Get the fuck over it.

They spend four times the government imposed caps?

Yes, it happens all the time. Did you complain any other time isn't happened Federally or Provincially?

Come on....you can't even eat at the Keg for that.

We're not going to have our Government sitting at the table with world leaders and delegates eating Kraft dinner.

[bootlegga]

Sorry, but that's the price of such events. And if Canada wants to sit at the big kids table, sometimes we have to foot the bill for everyone. Next year, we'll send people somewhere else and those hosts will pay for us. It the end, it usually balances out.

$110,000 for 45 people sounds like a lot, but it's only a little more than $2000 per person. As someone who's put on big events like this at work (paying for meals, hotels, airfare, etc), it sounds like it was pretty affordable, especially considering how many foreign VIPs there were (33). For example, $2250 in gifts for 33 high level people is pretty cheap. I've done events where VIPs get close to $500 in gifts/honorariums. Depending on who the VIPs were, the price could have been much higher.

[jeff744]

bootlegga bootlegga:

Sorry, but that's the price of such events. And if Canada wants to sit at the big kids table, sometimes we have to foot the bill for everyone. Next year, we'll send people somewhere else and those hosts will pay for us. It the end, it usually balances out.

$110,000 for 45 people sounds like a lot, but it's only a little more than $2000 per person. As someone who's put on big events like this at work (paying for meals, hotels, airfare, etc), it sounds like it was pretty affordable, especially considering how many foreign VIPs there were (33). For example, $2250 in gifts for 33 high level people is pretty cheap. I've done events where VIPs get close to $500 in gifts/honorariums. Depending on who the VIPs were, the price could have been much higher.

When you are exceeding the allowed costs by 3-4x across the board there is an issue. The issue is not about treating them well, it is that Harper is preaching about budget cuts but exceeds the allowed amounts by 3-4x across the board. Harper has a tendency to overspend on events, it's hypocritical to be calling for cuts when you refuse to make them as well.

[redhatmamma]

OnTheIce OnTheIce:

These types of conversations is why politics in this Country is a shit-show.

Never about real issues, just trying to score points with the public and media. It comes from all sides of the political spectrum.

Government spends money to travel. Get the fuck over it.

Totally agree, what exactly is the gov't supposed to do, make them pay for their dinners LOL

[jeff744]

redhatmamma redhatmamma:

OnTheIce OnTheIce:

These types of conversations is why politics in this Country is a shit-show.

Never about real issues, just trying to score points with the public and media. It comes from all sides of the political spectrum.

Government spends money to travel. Get the fuck over it.

Totally agree, what exactly is the gov't supposed to do, make them pay for their dinners LOL

How about not serving their $100 steaks on golden plates?

[bootlegga]

jeff744 jeff744:

bootlegga bootlegga:

Sorry, but that's the price of such events. And if Canada wants to sit at the big kids table, sometimes we have to foot the bill for everyone. Next year, we'll send people somewhere else and those hosts will pay for us. It the end, it usually balances out.

$110,000 for 45 people sounds like a lot, but it's only a little more than $2000 per person. As someone who's put on big events like this at work (paying for meals, hotels, airfare, etc), it sounds like it was pretty affordable, especially considering how many foreign VIPs there were (33). For example, $2250 in gifts for 33 high level people is pretty cheap. I've done events where VIPs get close to $500 in gifts/honorariums. Depending on who the VIPs were, the price could have been much higher.

When you are exceeding the allowed costs by 3-4x across the board there is an issue. The issue is not about treating them well, it is that Harper is preaching about budget cuts but exceeds the allowed amounts by 3-4x across the board. Harper has a tendency to overspend on events, it's hypocritical to be calling for cuts when you refuse to make them as well.

The costs might have exceeded Treasury Board guidelines, but there are no legislated limits on spending for events like this, so in the end, the limit is more of a guidleline than a rule. It is also probably more for internal events rather than international ones like this conference. Furthermore, I'd bet if you went back to Chretien or Martin's government, there were similar priced events.

And like I said, providing a reception, two lunches and a formal dinner for 45 people for $21,000 isn't all that high, especially because it includes booze. Caterers make most of their money from booze, so costs always skyrocket once booze is added in. And the idea of hosting a reception and dinner with Europeans without wine is ludicrous.

Sorry, but events like this always carry a big price tag and unless you propose we only serve finger sandwwiches and veggies with ranch dressing on paper plates, that's what it costs.

[PluggyRug]

jeff744 jeff744:

I am beginning to think Harper thinks he is Judge Dredd.

Methinks you're a little peeved for not getting an invite.