Thursday, April 28, 2011
Lara Dauphinee has left the building, apparently
.
'Obscene' amounts spent on severance packages for B.C. bureaucrats: critics
B.C. taxpayers paid $2.4 million in severance for Gordon Campbell's senior staff and political appointees
By Rob Shaw and Cindy E. Harnett
Times Colonist - April 28, 2011
Thirteen bureaucrats — many handpicked for their jobs by Gordon Campbell — received severance payouts, according to finance ministry figures.
B.C. taxpayers spent $2.4 million on "obscene" and hard-to-justify severance packages for Gordon Campbell's senior staff and political appointees, critics charged Thursday.
Thirteen bureaucrats — many handpicked for their jobs by Campbell — received the payouts, according to finance ministry figures. Most were fired when Premier Christy Clark took power last month.
Among the most notable deals was $549,776 to Allan Seckel, Campbell's deputy minister and head of the civil service, who, during his tenure, issued layoff notices to 772 government employees.
{Snip} ...
Other severance payouts included $323,917 for Ron Norman, the former head of the public affairs bureau, responsible for media management and communications. Norman's figure does not include an undetermined amount of executive holdback pay, the finance ministry said.
Lesley Du Toit, the controversial deputy children's minister who frequently clashed with the independent children's watchdog, received $337,413, also not including executive holdback pay. Du Toit was fired by Clark as part of widespread changes to the children's ministry.
The government quietly posted details about the severance packages on its website Thursday afternoon. Finance minister Kevin Falcon later defended the payouts at a press conference, saying they were necessary under the contracts signed with the individuals.
{Snip} ...
The payouts are "obscene," said Jim Sinclair, head of the B.C. Federation of Labour.
"It just says that nothing's changed," Sinclair said. "You can change the premier but it doesn't matter, it's the same behaviour. I guess when [Premier Clark] says families are first, she forgot to tell us it was Allan Seckel's family or Martyn Brown's family."
Brown, Campbell's longtime chief of staff who left in 2010 to become a deputy minister in the civil service, received $416,191.
Paul Taylor, who replaced Brown less than a year before Campbell quit, received $113,955.
Sinclair said most of the people receiving severances are "competent" professionals hired under political appointments by the current government, and with a 30,000-strong public service should have retained their positions or been slotted into new jobs.
The severance packages send the wrong messages to British Columbians, said Sinclair.
"Every time we turn around we're told we haven't got money [for seniors and teachers] ... and then they spend this kind of money for people just to go away," he said.
rfshaw@timescolonist.com
ceharnett@timescolonist.com
A full list of the severance packages:
- Cathy Armstrong: administrative co-ordinator: $33,810
- Martyn Brown: deputy minister and Campbell's former chief of staff: $416,191 including executive holdback pay
- Lara Dauphinee: deputy chief of staff for the premier, executive assistant to the premier: $192,886
- Richard Davis: ministerial assistant: $31,183
- Lesley Du Toit: deputy children's minister: $337,413 plus executive holdback pay, amount to be determined
- Jeff Hanman: deputy chief of staff to the premier, policy co-ordination and issues management: $117,930
- Michael Harrison: ministerial assistant: $75,698
- Ronald Norman: head, Public Affairs Bureau: $323,917 plus executive holdback pay, amount to be determined
- June Phillips: executive assistant: $72,994
- Allan Seckel: deputy minister to the premier, cabinet secretary: $549,776 including executive holdback pay
- Dale Steeves: premier's director of communications: $108,193
- Paul Taylor: premier's chief of staff: $113,955
- Christine Willows: administrative co-ordinator: $51,033
Comments:
Gee, I hadn't heard Lara Dauphinee's name in a while. She did quite nicely under Gordon Campbell.
Important to have remuneration packages competitive with private sector. "Equal pay for work of equal value". Most governments have an independent committee to evaluate such packages. Not clear that BC has one but the rich severances are good reason for permanent down-sizing of all government - including union positions.
Read more:
http://www.timescolonist.com/Obscene+amounts+spent+severance+packages+bureaucrats+critics/4693579/story.html
'Obscene' amounts spent on severance packages for B.C. bureaucrats: critics
B.C. taxpayers paid $2.4 million in severance for Gordon Campbell's senior staff and political appointees
By Rob Shaw and Cindy E. Harnett
Times Colonist - April 28, 2011
Thirteen bureaucrats — many handpicked for their jobs by Gordon Campbell — received severance payouts, according to finance ministry figures.
B.C. taxpayers spent $2.4 million on "obscene" and hard-to-justify severance packages for Gordon Campbell's senior staff and political appointees, critics charged Thursday.
Thirteen bureaucrats — many handpicked for their jobs by Campbell — received the payouts, according to finance ministry figures. Most were fired when Premier Christy Clark took power last month.
Among the most notable deals was $549,776 to Allan Seckel, Campbell's deputy minister and head of the civil service, who, during his tenure, issued layoff notices to 772 government employees.
{Snip} ...
Other severance payouts included $323,917 for Ron Norman, the former head of the public affairs bureau, responsible for media management and communications. Norman's figure does not include an undetermined amount of executive holdback pay, the finance ministry said.
Lesley Du Toit, the controversial deputy children's minister who frequently clashed with the independent children's watchdog, received $337,413, also not including executive holdback pay. Du Toit was fired by Clark as part of widespread changes to the children's ministry.
The government quietly posted details about the severance packages on its website Thursday afternoon. Finance minister Kevin Falcon later defended the payouts at a press conference, saying they were necessary under the contracts signed with the individuals.
{Snip} ...
The payouts are "obscene," said Jim Sinclair, head of the B.C. Federation of Labour.
"It just says that nothing's changed," Sinclair said. "You can change the premier but it doesn't matter, it's the same behaviour. I guess when [Premier Clark] says families are first, she forgot to tell us it was Allan Seckel's family or Martyn Brown's family."
Brown, Campbell's longtime chief of staff who left in 2010 to become a deputy minister in the civil service, received $416,191.
Paul Taylor, who replaced Brown less than a year before Campbell quit, received $113,955.
Sinclair said most of the people receiving severances are "competent" professionals hired under political appointments by the current government, and with a 30,000-strong public service should have retained their positions or been slotted into new jobs.
The severance packages send the wrong messages to British Columbians, said Sinclair.
"Every time we turn around we're told we haven't got money [for seniors and teachers] ... and then they spend this kind of money for people just to go away," he said.
rfshaw@timescolonist.com
ceharnett@timescolonist.com
A full list of the severance packages:
- Cathy Armstrong: administrative co-ordinator: $33,810
- Martyn Brown: deputy minister and Campbell's former chief of staff: $416,191 including executive holdback pay
- Lara Dauphinee: deputy chief of staff for the premier, executive assistant to the premier: $192,886
- Richard Davis: ministerial assistant: $31,183
- Lesley Du Toit: deputy children's minister: $337,413 plus executive holdback pay, amount to be determined
- Jeff Hanman: deputy chief of staff to the premier, policy co-ordination and issues management: $117,930
- Michael Harrison: ministerial assistant: $75,698
- Ronald Norman: head, Public Affairs Bureau: $323,917 plus executive holdback pay, amount to be determined
- June Phillips: executive assistant: $72,994
- Allan Seckel: deputy minister to the premier, cabinet secretary: $549,776 including executive holdback pay
- Dale Steeves: premier's director of communications: $108,193
- Paul Taylor: premier's chief of staff: $113,955
- Christine Willows: administrative co-ordinator: $51,033
Comments:
Gee, I hadn't heard Lara Dauphinee's name in a while. She did quite nicely under Gordon Campbell.
Important to have remuneration packages competitive with private sector. "Equal pay for work of equal value". Most governments have an independent committee to evaluate such packages. Not clear that BC has one but the rich severances are good reason for permanent down-sizing of all government - including union positions.
Read more:
http://www.timescolonist.com/Obscene+amounts+spent+severance+packages+bureaucrats+critics/4693579/story.html
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Comments:
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Let's look on the bright side here. It cost taxpayers $6 million to put the lid on Dave Basi and Bobby Virk.
Just over $2 million to change of personnel from Gordon Campbell to Christy Clark..... and ..... You can't blame El Gordo for this one... or De Jong..... or two Deputy Ministers.
Just over $2 million to change of personnel from Gordon Campbell to Christy Clark..... and ..... You can't blame El Gordo for this one... or De Jong..... or two Deputy Ministers.
# posted by 
: April 28, 2011 at 10:20 p.m.
: April 28, 2011 at 10:20 p.m.
ah, yes, lara dauphinee--or, the dauphin princesS, as i like to call Her. one of only a few players who knows EverytHing that went down during the campbell regim. but she was reared to be the consumate professional, and will go to her grave before she says a word about any of it.
who IS she, then?
well, that mystEry will only ever be solved if some intrepid soul goes bAck and starts laying bare the truth about the time She spent at the university of western ontario, jusT before winging her way west-ward and right into a job in gordo's point grEy constituency office, wheRe she helped him run, and lose, to gleN clarke in 1996.
despite the intial set-back, the agenda waS not to be deviated from; and she stayed on to see iT through to fruition. she is whAt is known in esoteric paRlance as a "dolly," and a most comely one at that.
who IS she, then?
well, that mystEry will only ever be solved if some intrepid soul goes bAck and starts laying bare the truth about the time She spent at the university of western ontario, jusT before winging her way west-ward and right into a job in gordo's point grEy constituency office, wheRe she helped him run, and lose, to gleN clarke in 1996.
despite the intial set-back, the agenda waS not to be deviated from; and she stayed on to see iT through to fruition. she is whAt is known in esoteric paRlance as a "dolly," and a most comely one at that.
# posted by : April 29, 2011 at 1:10 a.m.
: April 29, 2011 at 1:10 a.m.
"She did quite nicely 'under' Gordon Campbell"
Mary, Mary, Mary, tsk, tsk.
I thought it was her job to keep on top of things.
Mary, Mary, Mary, tsk, tsk.
I thought it was her job to keep on top of things.
# posted by : April 29, 2011 at 7:15 a.m.
: April 29, 2011 at 7:15 a.m.
Mary, this is probably inappropriate, but I split a gut on your choice adverb...probably should have been italicized.
islandpapa:
Whatcha mean?
I didn't write any of that posting ... so let us in on the joke: italicize what adverb?
.
Whatcha mean?
I didn't write any of that posting ... so let us in on the joke: italicize what adverb?
.
""She did quite nicely 'under' Gordon Campbell""
Nothing like a cute double entendre to start the day. Then I realize how disgusting it must be "under" the Gordo, for a idea just how much so, just look at the expression and body English on Nancy the "official" wife when she is required to actually be in the same room with El Gordo, with no actual "touching" required.
BTW, weren't some of the appointments being so richly given golden showers made right at the end of Gordo's reign of terror and thievery, you know when he tried to redo the tax system and re-configure the entire government/re-arrange ministries a mere matter of days before throwing in the towel and pretending to resign?
Jeeeeez I wish the Gangsta Gord would have hired me to do anything (other than be "under" him) just before he decided to retire from public life to devote hisself to counting his ill-gotten gains or joining his bud Stevie Spiteful in the PMO (or better yet at the NCC)! I coulda afforded to be in London today for the wedding or in Hawaii doing research on the birth of Obama.
Nothing like a cute double entendre to start the day. Then I realize how disgusting it must be "under" the Gordo, for a idea just how much so, just look at the expression and body English on Nancy the "official" wife when she is required to actually be in the same room with El Gordo, with no actual "touching" required.
BTW, weren't some of the appointments being so richly given golden showers made right at the end of Gordo's reign of terror and thievery, you know when he tried to redo the tax system and re-configure the entire government/re-arrange ministries a mere matter of days before throwing in the towel and pretending to resign?
Jeeeeez I wish the Gangsta Gord would have hired me to do anything (other than be "under" him) just before he decided to retire from public life to devote hisself to counting his ill-gotten gains or joining his bud Stevie Spiteful in the PMO (or better yet at the NCC)! I coulda afforded to be in London today for the wedding or in Hawaii doing research on the birth of Obama.
I saw it too, Mary.
Amazing, even brain dead Martyn Brown got a wonderful golden handshake. Hmmm. I wonder why?
Amazing, even brain dead Martyn Brown got a wonderful golden handshake. Hmmm. I wonder why?
# posted by : April 29, 2011 at 9:50 a.m.
: April 29, 2011 at 9:50 a.m.
My comment was being written as Ron was posting his but referring to the same word, "under". I assumed the "comments" at end of article were your's.
If "under" in this context is not an adverb, I will go sit in the grammar class corner.
If "under" in this context is not an adverb, I will go sit in the grammar class corner.
It seems crazy to me that a person taking a high-paying government salary while working in the premier's office would expect that his or her job/pay to last any longer than the premier's reign. If they are such valuable people, they should be offered other work in government, and if they refuse the transfer, they can resign with no severance - just like in the private sector and the public sector for most employees. The sense of entitlement by elected officials and their bootlicks has gotten out of hand - just like for private sector CEOs. And, private sector CEO remuneration and severance is just as ludicrous! All monies for all executives comes off the backs of workers. Even the tech-based nouveau riche get money that initiates from primary industries. Primary industries take workers with backs.
# posted by : April 29, 2011 at 12:32 p.m.
: April 29, 2011 at 12:32 p.m.
"Amazing, even brain dead Martyn Brown got a wonderful golden handshake. Hmmm. I wonder why?"
Silence is expensive, 6 Million to Basi and Virk (or their lawyers,) though how they managed to live in such style with multiple houses while on trial and supposedly "unemployable" is a whole nuther question that no one seems to ask).
Perhaps one could search the transcript of Martyn Brown's dementia infested testimony at the "trial," (assuming Annie Mack would let one do so) and divide each instance of "I don't recall" and/or "I don't remember" and into the $400+ thousand to find the value of each time he remembered to forget. Or maybe just counting the number of questions put to Mr. Brown would be easier because other than "What is your name?" that was pretty well the non-responsive answer to everything for days on end.
Apparently the Air India bombing is one of the few criminal conspiracies in recent years NOT involving the BC liaRs or their predecessors the Bennett/VanderZalm crew of inside traders and users of brown paper bags for money (like that other reich wing icon the Jaw that walks like a man, Mulroney). Therefore, Malik and his associates can't spill any beans that matter to the Campbell Crime Family.
Hopefully the LIEberals can fund these golden showers with the money they extract from overpaid people on assistance - who are most likely the reason for any deficit.
Silence is expensive, 6 Million to Basi and Virk (or their lawyers,) though how they managed to live in such style with multiple houses while on trial and supposedly "unemployable" is a whole nuther question that no one seems to ask).
Perhaps one could search the transcript of Martyn Brown's dementia infested testimony at the "trial," (assuming Annie Mack would let one do so) and divide each instance of "I don't recall" and/or "I don't remember" and into the $400+ thousand to find the value of each time he remembered to forget. Or maybe just counting the number of questions put to Mr. Brown would be easier because other than "What is your name?" that was pretty well the non-responsive answer to everything for days on end.
Apparently the Air India bombing is one of the few criminal conspiracies in recent years NOT involving the BC liaRs or their predecessors the Bennett/VanderZalm crew of inside traders and users of brown paper bags for money (like that other reich wing icon the Jaw that walks like a man, Mulroney). Therefore, Malik and his associates can't spill any beans that matter to the Campbell Crime Family.
Hopefully the LIEberals can fund these golden showers with the money they extract from overpaid people on assistance - who are most likely the reason for any deficit.
Kootcoot, You are asking the right question, HOW did Basi Virk Basi live such lavish lifestyles without gainful employment?
Anyone know?
Anyone care to speculate?
Anyone know?
Anyone care to speculate?
# posted by : April 29, 2011 at 7:31 p.m.
: April 29, 2011 at 7:31 p.m.
Lara Dauphine has landed as a vice-president at Fiore Financial, Frank Giustra's Private Merchant Bank... Nice gig...
http://www.rgm.com/articles/baines2.html
http://www.rgm.com/articles/baines2.html
# posted by : April 30, 2011 at 1:17 p.m.
: April 30, 2011 at 1:17 p.m.
Lara Dauphinee
Executive Vice-President, Fiore Group at Fiore Financial Corporation
Location
Vancouver, Canada Area
Industry
Investment Management
Lara Dauphinee's Overview
Education •The University of Western Ontario
Connections 129 connections
Executive Vice-President, Fiore Group at Fiore Financial Corporation
Location
Vancouver, Canada Area
Industry
Investment Management
Lara Dauphinee's Overview
Education •The University of Western Ontario
Connections 129 connections
# posted by : April 30, 2011 at 1:22 p.m.
: April 30, 2011 at 1:22 p.m.
Re: the severence, a call was made into CKNW about this. Some BCLib supporter named "ChristyClarkFan" put it on YouTube.
Interesting how the BCLibs are "ReSpinning the Severance" as = to private sector.
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Interesting how the BCLibs are "ReSpinning the Severance" as = to private sector.
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