Youngest senator has worst attendance record (AKA Why won't CPC show up for work?)

[Senator Clay Davis]

Originally Posted by Cecil Terwilliger

Again, showing up to work does not make you a good person. I'm sure there are plenty of senators who show up to work and still do a ####ty job.

According to both of you I can show up for work and be a terrible employee and it somehow makes me some sort of pseudo-saint.

His employers have said it doesn't matter if he shows up to work or not. But now he's a piece of crap just because he's operating within the parameters of the conditions of his employment?

While I agree showing up doesn't make anyone good, not showing up for a job that we the taxpayers pay his salary for, is pathetic. I think we as his employers would prefer to eliminate every single perk and waste the government does, but we all know that will never happen. And yes he's a piece of crap, he obviously has no interest in doing this job for anyone but himself. He doesn't actually have to do much or any work whatsoever. He shows up and puts his vote down. Reeeeeeeeeeallly tough job. Something tells me even a borderline ######ed person (like Rob Anders is proving) could do this job. So how exactly does one be good at a job where their only task is to vote...if they never actually show up to vote?

[FlamesAddiction]

I recall when Stephen Harper was a still a newcomer on the scene and he was strongly promoting senate reform. Convenient that he hasn't mentioned it since becoming the one who now appoints the senators (or recommends them for appointment anyhow).

[Jacks]

Originally Posted by MarchHare

Just like voters in Calgary-West turfed Rob Anders, amirite?

The voters in Calgary-West have the option at least.

[Jacks]

Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction

I recall when Stephen Harper was a still a newcomer on the scene and he was strongly promoting senate reform. Convenient that he hasn't mentioned it since becoming the one who now appoints the senators.

You seem to have missed a lot. There have been multiple bills put forth towards Senate reform.

[Cecil Terwilliger]

Originally Posted by Senator Clay Davis

While I agree showing up doesn't make anyone good, not showing up for a job that we the taxpayers pay his salary for, is pathetic. I think we as his employers would prefer to eliminate every single perk and waste the government does, but we all know that will never happen. And yes he's a piece of crap, he obviously has no interest in doing this job for anyone but himself. He doesn't actually have to do much or any work whatsoever. He shows up and puts his vote down. Reeeeeeeeeeallly tough job. Something tells me even a borderline ######ed person (like Rob Anders is proving) could do this job. So how exactly does one be good at a job where their only task is to vote...if they never actually show up to vote?

Let's start with what we agree on: It is absolutely ridiculous that this guy is allowed to skip work and there are no repercussions.

What we disagree on: I blame the government/legislators/taxpayers for this. I don't blame the employee who was handed this cushy job and chooses to take full advantage of the idiotic rules put in place to govern his employment.


Is he a dick for not showing up? I don't think so. I think there is a very likely chance that there are people that show up to work in the Senate who are doing more harm than good and they probably should just stay home.

Am I saying that in every job, everywhere that everyone should do the bare minimum to not get fired? Absolutely not, but that's not really what's happening here. If I showed up to my current job and just sat around for 8 hours a day and did nothing, eventually people would find out. And sure, I probably could just do the bare minimum to not get fired. But that is an individual's choice. If my coworkers want to do the bare minimum, let them. I'm not going to and as such I'm probably going to get promoted before them. This situation is totally different though. He's in no danger of getting fired. He can't get promoted. His lack of attendance isn't making it harder on his fellow employees because they are all a bunch of overpaid hacks, IMO, just like he is.

So what do I care if he shows up or not? Him showing up isn't going to fix the problem of the need for Senate reform. In fact, if more Senators would abuse their power (or take advantage of the perks as I'd call it), then maybe the public would actually pressure their local MPs to make Senate reform a priority in the next election. Because if our only hope is "well all of our government officials have lax job parameters but we think that they'll do a good job out of the goodness of their hearts", then we are all royally ####ed. In the words of George Carlin (paraphrasing here) "think of how dumb the average person is and remember that half of the population are DUMBER than that".

If anything, this guy is acting as a catalyst to make senate reform happen. For all we know his not showing up is a protest to bring attention to the fact that he knows he's overpaid and has absolutely no responsibility whatsoever. yeah, let's go with that. He's actually a hero in a roundabout way.

[Voodooman]

Hmmm, someone from Quebec with a questionable work ethic...

Zut alors!

[The Goon]

Responding to criticism about this, he told reporter Jennifer Ditchburn she should change the D in her surname to a B.

What a childish, insecure little man.

[Daradon]

Originally Posted by Cecil Terwilliger

Let's start with what we agree on: It is absolutely ridiculous that this guy is allowed to skip work and there are no repercussions.

What we disagree on: I blame the government/legislators/taxpayers for this. I don't blame the employee who was handed this cushy job and chooses to take full advantage of the idiotic rules put in place to govern his employment.


Is he a dick for not showing up? I don't think so. I think there is a very likely chance that there are people that show up to work in the Senate who are doing more harm than good and they probably should just stay home.

Am I saying that in every job, everywhere that everyone should do the bare minimum to not get fired? Absolutely not, but that's not really what's happening here. If I showed up to my current job and just sat around for 8 hours a day and did nothing, eventually people would find out. And sure, I probably could just do the bare minimum to not get fired. But that is an individual's choice. If my coworkers want to do the bare minimum, let them. I'm not going to and as such I'm probably going to get promoted before them. This situation is totally different though. He's in no danger of getting fired. He can't get promoted. His lack of attendance isn't making it harder on his fellow employees because they are all a bunch of overpaid hacks, IMO, just like he is.

So what do I care if he shows up or not? Him showing up isn't going to fix the problem of the need for Senate reform. In fact, if more Senators would abuse their power (or take advantage of the perks as I'd call it), then maybe the public would actually pressure their local MPs to make Senate reform a priority in the next election. Because if our only hope is "well all of our government officials have lax job parameters but we think that they'll do a good job out of the goodness of their hearts", then we are all royally ####ed. In the words of George Carlin (paraphrasing here) "think of how dumb the average person is and remember that half of the population are DUMBER than that".

If anything, this guy is acting as a catalyst to make senate reform happen. For all we know his not showing up is a protest to bring attention to the fact that he knows he's overpaid and has absolutely no responsibility whatsoever. yeah, let's go with that. He's actually a hero in a roundabout way.

To clarify, that wasn't the reason I mentioned that. It was his comments on Twitter. I actually do think that does lend to his attitude and personality though, and he may just be a guy who is looking for a situation to take advantage of. Which a lot of people do.

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by Voodooman

Hmmm, someone from Quebec with a questionable work ethic...

Zut alors!

French politicians need something more to motivate themselves I guess...



Get the government working for the people again.

[Rerun]

Originally Posted by Slava

The following article penned by Jennifer Ditchburn explains the pathetic attendance record of a few Canadian senators, but one more than the others. He was the same senator who fought (and lost) to Justin Trudeau in a charity boxing match earlier this year.

The guy is 37 years old and has a job guaranteed until age 75. Its just a complete disgrace really.

http://www.globalnews.ca/world/canad...586/story.html

Maybe he's afraid to go to work? I hear that there's some bully on the hill who beat him up recently.


But seriously,

I agree. Thats why I support an elected senate with fixed terms. Lets be able to get rid of the bums who don't want to work. The senate shouldn't be an exclusive and well paid retirement club for party bagmen and failed election candidates.


On the other hand, he's got long way to go to beat Liberal Andrew Thompson's attendance record.

[Doodlebug]

Originally Posted by Jacks

The voters in Calgary-West have the option at least.

Unfortunately its looking like the only way to get Anders out of Calgary West is to appoint him to the senate.

[Northendzone]

nice comment about the writer or the article........this guys needs to take advantage of the free haircuts.

[Russic]

My dad tried (and failed) to attain the popular vote to be a Senator in waiting a few months ago. This is the kind of thing that really drives him up the wall. It's shameful that somebody with a chance to go to Ottawa and be a part of the process and chooses not to when there are very hard working people out there that would kill to bust their ass at that job.

[Mango]

He's now in a Twitter war with reporter Jennifer Ditchburn...of course, making reference to her last name. He seems very classy.

Edit: I just noticed that Jennifer updated her article. Good for her for including that nonsense.

[jhunt223]

This guys a senator? He looks like he should be wrasslin' in a community centre somewhere.

[Fire]

The Conservatives have tried to limit the term of Senators to 9 years, but it's not a simple thing to do. First many provinces are greatly under(/over)represented in the Senate. That needs to be fixed first. Conservatives have also encourage provinces to hold their own Senate elections.

If the Liberals and NDP would put effort into it maybe we could see some change.

[Voodooman]

Originally Posted by jhunt223

This guys a senator? He looks like he should be wrasslin' in a community centre somewhere.

And a national leader in the First Nations community as well.....He's a disgrace to all sorts of people.

Harper should have this clown's resignation on his desk by the end of the day. If the attendance scandal and calling a reporter a b%&ch on Twitter aren't enough, getting your ass beat by a Liberal, let alone a Trudeau, should be a good enough reason.

[psyang]

Originally Posted by Cecil Terwilliger

I'm not sure why it reminds you of the religious argument because it has nothing to do with this. This isn't a moral agrument, it is a common sense argument.

While I agree that the system is partly to blame, I think this is still a moral issue. His job description details what his duties are. Just because the rules of the system do not provide repercussions for not performing those duties, it doesn't mean there is no moral obligation on his part to actually do what he is being asked to do (barring acceptable circumstances, like sickness, etc). Otherwise, you are saying that all morality must be legislated.

[Rerun]

Originally Posted by Slava

The following article penned by Jennifer Ditchburn explains the pathetic attendance record of a few Canadian senators, but one more than the others. He was the same senator who fought (and lost) to Justin Trudeau in a charity boxing match earlier this year.

The guy is 37 years old and has a job guaranteed until age 75. Its just a complete disgrace really.

http://www.globalnews.ca/world/canad...586/story.html

Correct me if I'm wrong, but hasn't Harper asked all his appointees to step down after serving an 8 year term?

[Senator Clay Davis]

You know what makes it so hard to trust Stephen Harper? The losers he surrounds himself with. Seriously, you are the company you keep, and when he's surrounded by a bunch of assclowns, it makes it very difficult to trust his judgement.