How we spend our money reflects our values, particularly for conscious choices, the ones we make after full consideration.
That occurred to me when reader Lew linked to a Jonathan Fowlie blog, B.C.’s government watchdog working among the rodents. Lew’s comment came in response to my article about David Hahn’s luxurious new offices, where the BC Ferries management team is presently conducting an internal austerity program.
For comparison, here is what Auditor General John Doyle told a Legislative budget committee:
Currently we occupy space in Bastion Square, and we have been there for 30 years. …We have little friends in the office. We’re running out of names for them. They’re about this big. There’s lots of them. We just can’t get rid of them. During the summer we had one situation where we had to evacuate the office because of the seagulls and what was coming in through the air vents, and so on. I could go on for half an hour.
It is no surprise that folks in government care little about the comforts of the Auditor General. After all, he is far less important than he would be as a fourth Executive Vice President at BC Ferries. Of course, the compensation figures bear that out:
Categories: Auditor General, BC Ferries
IN-SIGHTS 
Norm, the Ombudsperson, the Police Complaint Commissioner and the Freedom of Information Commissioner are also in brand new, spiffy digs, bordering a park in Victoria. Moved in just this summer. Sounds like a construction boom is underway in government — to match their booming salaries.
Now if only BC's Ombudsperson could spare a few minutes for the elderly victims of abuse in BC's residential care system that we keep hearing about in the media.
You know, like maybe the Ombudsperson could find time to issue her report on the Inquiry into Seniors Care in BC? That “Inquiry” began in August 2008. I guess she was too preoccupied picking out wallpaper and carpeting to attend to trifling matters.
Oh, I forgot, the Ombudsperson has done something — in her “interim” report of Dec 2009 (which she hastily issued because the public and media were wondering what was taking her so long ) she directed that Victims Rights, uhhh excuse me, Residents' Bill of Rights posters be placed in all BC nursing homes.
Hands up, anyone, who thinks those Resident’s Bill of Rights posters have protected a single vulnerable elderly person. This government has no shame.
It's interesting that the Auditor General and the Children's & Youth Commissioner seem to be the only two BC “watchdogs” that didn't get new digs.
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Ah yes, friends of the government get spiffy new digs, while those deemed “enemies of the government” get rat infested pest holes to do their work.
This is the best place on earth isn't it?
It is so sad that Campbell and his low-life ilk have wrecked so much damage, that I do not see a light at the end of the tunnel.
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