Premier Christy Clark, how do you like her so far?

[LoneWolf_53]

The point that apparently eludes you ff is that the details are missing. You're all worked up based on data, that from what I can see, doesn't go much beyond vague descriptions and total prices.

Without being privy to exact details, it's being somewhat presumptuous, to be judging and getting all bent out of shape.

I could submit a bill and say I spent a grand on a trip to Vancouver, to watch eyes pop, and tempers flare, because you'd know it doesn't cost anywhere near that in fuel to get there. You wouldn't know though that the vehicle broke down enroute and required seven hundred bucks in repairs to make the journey. Perhaps not the best example but hopefully the point is grasped.

[flamingfingers]

So then, what is premier pattycake trying to hide/evade/obfuscate/lie about? Why does she not say where she stayed, who she hosted for breakfast and how did she manage to spend $666.18 two nights in a row for 'room charges'?

All she needs to do is to be 'open and transparent' and she would come up a shining star. Unfortunately, hiding/evading/obfuscating/lying seems to be the modus operandi of this 'Families First' 'Open and Transparent' ChristyLiberals government.

And remember LW, I care not one wrinkled rat's pink posterior how you spend money, so long as it is not MY money!

[Smurf]

Exactly, if Christy wants to run an open government as she claims and avoid this type of criticism it is so easy by putting in the information you are looking for LW. To me not putting it in looks like she is hiding something. Anytime I went anywhere on company training, jobs or whatever that included an expense account I had to itemize the expenses. Why can't government officials do that when they are spending our dollars. It would make Christy's life a lot simpler and take any ammuntion away from Alex. Win win for Christy unless she is hiding something.

[LoneWolf_53]

I tend to agree with you Smurf. I simply feel it's a stretch to get all worked up over the data presented, due to there being too many unknowns, which as we can see, allows those so inclined, to fill in the blanks any way they wish.

[Smurf]

I am one of the ones that tend to do that only because I feel if there wasn't some truth to it then she should deny it or at least do something to prevent it from happening. It would not be a big deal to do it properly and actually proper disclosure should be required from all of them before they get their money.

[flamingfingers]

Hiring freeze? Budget? What hiring freeeze??

Monday, December 03, 2012

Clark's new staff, and the hiring freeze that wasn't

When Finance Minister Mike de Jong announced a hiring freeze in September, because the government's budget projections were faulty and the deficit was rising, most people thought he meant, well, a hiring freeze.

Certainly in my past life as a corporate guy, a hiring freeze meant you couldn’t hire people. (Not always a smart policy.)
But according to an unnamed spokesperson for Premier Christy Clark, what de Jong really meant was that no new positions would be created.

So when Clark added three new people to the premier's office Monday - taking her staff from 31 to 34 - that was consistent with a hiring freeze, in her mind, because she had 34 people working for her at some point in the past.

The public wasn't alone in being confused.

The government's HR arm outlined a "NEW" Hiring Approval Process after de Jong’s announced “freeze.”

"There is currently a hiring freeze on all non-critical positions across the BC Public Service. All internal and external hiring requests - including regular, temporary and auxiliary appointments, renewals and extensions - require approval from your deputy minister and the Deputy Minister to the Premier. Hiring will only be approved for areas of critical service or to meet an urgent government priority.

“Consideration must first be given to internal candidates. Requests for external hires will only be approved for critical roles -- corrections and social workers, for example -- and must demonstrate why an internal candidate could not be identified.”

The website could have been a little more accurate. Critical roles include “corrections and social workers” and staffers in the premier’s office.

Clark added her fifth key communications staffer in 21 months, former TV reporter and Ontario Liberal staffer Ben Chin.
Which brings to mind a joke I used in reference to Gordon Campbell’s fretting about communications problems.

A man goes into see the marriage counsellor who has been working with the couple, and says, “The problem is my wife doesn’t understand me.”

“Sure she does,” the counsellor says. “She just thinks you’re a jerk.”

After hiring and whacking three communications directors in a short period, it’s time to consider that the problem might not be communications strategy. It might that people get what you’re saying, and just don’t like it.

http://willcocks.blogspot.ca/2012/12/cl ... -that.html

[Smurf]

Or maybe she constantly makes really bad decissions. No matter what it looks bad for her. Wonder if they all get a payout?

[Rwede]

And FYI - this info comes to Tsakumis from an inside staffer....

What makes you say it is from an inside staffer? I can't find that in the story ^^.

It just makes bullchit smell nicer. But, in the end, it's still bullchit.

[flamingfingers]

Or maybe she constantly makes really bad decissions. No matter what it looks bad for her. Wonder if they all get a payout?

Smurf, I think it is more due to the fact that she just can't seem to get along with anyone!

[Captain Awesome]

So bottom line to date I must admit that I have been impressed with Christy Clark and what she has done in a little over two weeks. But that is just me. What do the rest of you think of her?

Personally, I don't know what's so bad about her - but then again she didn't really make any major decisions since she came into power. Some publicity, some oh-so-productive trade missions, whatever. I don't think she's made to be the number one woman in BC politics, but she managed not to screw up anything major while she was keeping the seat warm.

[flamingfingers]

but she managed not to screw up anything major while she was keeping the seat warm.

Guess your reading ventures are limited to the Vancouver Sun, eh?

[Urbane]

Guess your reading ventures are limited to the Vancouver Sun, eh?

Yeah, you have to read Alex Tsakumis to get an objective view of the Christy Clark and the Liberals.
:dyinglaughing:

[Captain Awesome]

Guess your reading ventures are limited to the Vancouver Sun, eh?

I'm not much of a newspaper reader, and lack cable TV. I was simply expressing my opinion.

[flamingfingers]

Urbane said:

Yeah, you have to read Alex Tsakumis to get an objective view of the Christy Clark and the Liberals.
:dyinglaughing:

Nope. It takes me at least 3 hours to go through the dozens of sources I read. Guess you haven't bothered to note the sources I have quoted.. Globe and Mail, Vancouver Province, NY Times, Winnipeg Free Press, Bill Mackin, Ian Reid, Norm Farrell, Gary Mason, Justine Hunter, Mike Smyth, Vaughn Palmer, Keith Baldrey even!! Tsakmuis is only one of many I read. I even watch Glowball - the station that tries to incorporate premier photo-ops partisan political ads into their 'news'! What they will do for millions of advertising dolloars - that WE pay for!!

My perspective on Christy Clark started long before she ever filched her 'premiership' and she has only been able to cement my jaundiced view of her since.

[George+]

That got em, flaming.

Guess they'll have to read something other than the National Post
and the right wing B.C research groups!