Garth Turner seems confused about what it means to be "no cost"
Garth Turner is embarking on a speaking tour to 10 western cities. Garth Turner was very insistent that taxpayers would not have to pay for this.
But as Dan Cook points out, taxpayer-funded flights will take Garth Turner westward.
From Dan Cook, Garth Turner's speaking tour is off to a confused start:
As noted previously, Ontario MP Garth Turner heads West next month on his unofficial tour to be the next leader of the Liberal Party.
From today's news release: "All of the events have been organized by local residents, and will take place at no cost to taxpayers."
But from Turner's backgrounder we learn: "Who is paying for this? MP Turner and his wife Dorothy are using flights allocated in his existing office budget."
So who exactly funds Turner's 'office budget'? Taxpayers.
The problem is that if Garth Turner wants to be leader of a political party, he needs to set an example of fiscal responsibility and respect for the public purse that...oh wait...never mind...we're talking about the Liberal Party.
I guess Garth Turner has completely embraced the Liberal Party mindset. Taxpayer money is really Garth's money, so no wonder he doesn't think the tour will cost me anything.
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Comments
Garth explained on his blog that he was going to use his MP travel vouchers I believe he called them. He said he never uses them because he drives back and forth be his riding and Ottawa and does not claim his gas or transportation charges. I do have a question, are these a use them or we the taxpayers pay for them anyway or is the Govt only billed for the ones that are used
Posted by: Ken at August 27, 2007 07:56 PM
Steve, stop picking on Garth! He's entitled to his entitlements!
Posted by: Paul M at August 27, 2007 07:59 PM
Garth is now officially a lieberal. Just like Jean and his trips to whistler and the USA for his private hospital stays.
Again the MSM won't even cover this.
Keep upthe great work Steve.
Rod
Posted by: rod at August 27, 2007 08:38 PM
The message coming from Dion is that he consults with the public. He likes to hold roundtables with all kinds of stakeholders. He is getting input from many sources. See the many "Town Hall" videos here to see what I'm talking about.
So my take is that Garth's tour is an extension of Dion's consultative process. Trying hard to remake Dion's image. From not-a-leader to the consultative, collegial, always available to the media, pandering to his audience, wanting to be under-estimated, kind of guy.
Posted by: Calgary Junkie at August 27, 2007 08:41 PM
Ummm.....No. I respectfully disagree CalgaryJunkie.
The Globe and Mail has it right. This is Turner's mock leadership run for the Liberals.
In other words he's trying to take Dion's job away NOT work in conjunction with him.
(http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20070827.WBwblogolitics20070827173802/WBStory/WBwblogolitics/)
Posted by: Sentinel at August 27, 2007 09:17 PM
As someone who's worked on the Hill, I think the way it works is this. MPs are assigned a large number of "travel points."
It costs:
1 point to get to your riding, whether it's in Churchill, Manitoba, or Toronto, Ontario
1 point for a short-haul flight
2 points for a medium haul flight
3 points for a long-haul flight
Frequently, MPs hoping to make a long-haul flight (Ottawa-Vancouver), if they're riding is in central Canada, fly with a stop-over there, thus using 2 points instead of 3.
Posted by: AV at August 28, 2007 04:58 AM
Oh please, this is just too much nit picking to be worthy of writing about.
Garth Turner has explained about the costs.
Hey, what about the Conservative MP's travelling around at taxpayer expense? Double standard here.
I live in a riding with a useless Conservative MP (I mean he is useless and has done nothing) and we've had several visits from other Conservative MP's at "taxpayer" expense.
I can't believe how bad this nit picking crap has become. Why we've even had Green party and NDP visitors.
Sad that one has to spend their whole life (I guess you are a conservative shill) looking for negativity. Very sad.
How do you feel about Harper and his gang hiding the expenses of his use of the Challenger for over a year? How much is the primper costing taxpayers?
Get a life.
Posted by: Sam at August 28, 2007 07:55 AM
When Garth was asked about why he continually attacked Harper on his site he replied "He Deserves It" Well, if anyone wants to know why his trip and all his other mis steps are put under a microscope...the answer is simple.
He Deserves It. You cant continually throw stones at someone or a group and then claim innocence when theyre thrown right back at them. This innocent "WHO ME?" attitude he and his staff are putting on is disgraceful and is fooling no one.
If you cant take it, dont bother dishing it out. Can we all put into his fund to ensure his ticket out west is ONE WAY? PLEASE?
Posted by: Dont you remember? at August 28, 2007 07:57 AM
When you see Conservative members (IE Cabinet Ministers) travelling from riding to riding...its their job. I dont know of any past CPC back benchers when they were the official opposition going on any cross Canada junkits.
Only seems to be liberals doing it. Garth nit picks about words that are said...then blows them out of proportion all the time when it comes to the PMO and other CPC MP's.
He stated "no cost to taxpayers"....now hes said what he meant was "no additional cost"...
Well it ISNT what he said. Maybe he and his "crack" staff better improve their communication skills. If you cant take the heat Turner, get out of the kitchen.
Theres some byelections coming up...Im sure the PM would be happy to accept your offer of resignation now. You should consider it ...
Posted by: One more thing... at August 28, 2007 08:01 AM
I might buy this if Garth was even a member of the shadow cabinet or critic for a dept per say. He is not, he is doing this just to slam the CPC and he is using taxpayers money to do it, if these people want to hear him so bad the can spring for the airline seats for him and his wife. This tour is nothing but pure politics and he is using taxpayer's money to do it. At the very least he should be funding it out of the LPC budget, Yes I do know that these points are used to travel to caucus meetings but that is the exception not the rule.
Posted by: Ken at August 28, 2007 11:42 AM
You Cons really got to get a life. Your boy Harpliar can only manage a tie with weak leader Dion in the latest G&M poll and all you can do is harp on about Turner's travel expenses. If the Libs smarten up and draft Frank McKenna Harper becomes toast.
Posted by: not Garth Turner at August 28, 2007 12:13 PM
Despite the liberal hand-wringing in this thread. The gist of the matter is Garth Turner can horde his 'tax dollar vouchers' and parlay them into a self-promotion tour. Free of guilt because they were his to burn any way. What ethics on this guy. I hope he gets lost and ends up in Russia.
I'm not sure that's what these points were designed for. But this is the same party that sends a chauffeur on vacation with his charge.
Posted by: Levesque at August 28, 2007 05:17 PM
Who cares where he flits off to and who the hell wants to listen to a megalomaniac?
He'll be a big boost for the Party he left as well.
Posted by: Libby at August 28, 2007 06:04 PM
Garth Turner is such a phony. His defence is:
a) Why do conservatives care so much about me?
- Well, if you're so irrelevant, why are going on a ten-city tour of a region you don't represent?
b) This tour is non-partisan.
- It's called the "Lost Tory Tour"
c) He says all MP's, including his leader, travel the country.
- ie) you're running to be leader of a national party.
Did I say Garth Turner is a phony? I was wrong. He's a liar. Almost everything that comes out of his mouth is meant to trick people into supporting his huge ego.
The two biggest liars in politics are Garth Turner and Dalton McGuinty. May they both get what they deserve from the electorate soon.
Posted by: Dennis (Second Thots) at August 29, 2007 04:18 PM
 
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