At one time in a varied career, we were trained in grocery store management. It culminated in being a very young district manager for a large group of stores. This is mentioned as groceries were one of the last all cash businesses and the smart manager watched the cash registers as closely as he watched the back door. When you are dealing in such a close margin business as groceries, you have to be sharp. One of the first signs of trouble with a cashier is not shortages on the till at the end of a shift but overages. Shortages can be accidental or careless. When a till is over too often, you look closer.
It was the recent surprise and delight of Stephen Harper at the $1.9 billion surplus from the last fiscal year of our government that brought this to mind. And with Tony Clement as the government’s cashier as President of the Treasury Board, it did not allay suspicions about the nature of this windfall.
Canadians can never forget that Tony Clement was the guy who built lavish public washrooms and other facilities for his riding with $50 million of Border Services money. This was needed he said when the G-7 countries met at Deerhurst Resort in 2010. It was certainly helpful for Tony’s re-election in Parry Sound riding in 2011.
Clement is a product of former Ontario Premier Michael Harris’ ‘Common Sense Revolution’ of the 1990s. He is an extremist conservative ideologue and is located somewhere in the vicinity of Stephen Harper’s right hand—if anyone could get that close to their fearless leader.
But he has been the obedient servant as Canada’s guy holding the purse strings. Nobody has built any washrooms on Tony’s watch. His job was to tighten the purse strings and that is what he did.
Tony saved money. He closed veteran’s offices that he did not think were needed–despite the protests from veterans.
Tony had money allocated in the federal budget to buy new carbines and training in their use for the R.C.M. Police. They needed these to supplement their pistols. While Mounties were being killed by people with more long-range weapons, Tony doled out the money as some sort of Scrooge.
Many departments of government complained about not getting funds allocated but Tony was adamant. He was there to save money, not to spend it.
Mr. Harper was surprised and pleased by a less than one per cent saving of the federal budget. He should give Tony Clement a medal.
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Copyright 2015 © Peter Lowry
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