http://fildebrandt.ca Derek Fildebrandt on politics, economics, war and fun Fri, 03 Feb 2012 22:14:47 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en So the Friends of Canadian Broadcasting (let’s just call them ‘Friends’) are a little upset with us for upturning some of their financial dealings with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC). We sort of expected that. In their response we were delighted to read that contrary what we had been told by ... http://fildebrandt.ca/2012/02/friends-don%e2%80%99t-let-friends-withhold-information/ Today, 39 MPs will join an exclusive club of Canadians eligible for the best pension plan on the planet. These 39 MPs were first elected on January 23, 2006, meaning that as of today, they are vested and eligible to withdraw. These MPs will be eligible to collect $1,927,000 in annual ... http://fildebrandt.ca/2012/01/class-of-06-qualifies-for-pensions-today/ http://fildebrandt.ca/2011/12/sun-news-network-peter-mackays-expense-claims/ -$4,752 for a flight to Edmonton and back -$3,167 for a flight to Boston  and back to attend a “seafood show” Peter’s Excellent Adventure: Part II (Edmonton) Defence Minister Peter Mackay spent $4,752 for two one-way plane tickets to go to the 2010 Grey Cup in Edmonton. Using Access to Information requests, the CTF ... http://fildebrandt.ca/2011/12/ctf-uncovers-details-of-mackay%e2%80%99s-5925-grey-cup-trip-3167-for-boston-seafood-show/ -$2,904 for two nights in Munich hotel -$2,310 for three nights in Istanbul hotel Peter’s Excellent Adventure: Part I Defence Minister Peter MacKay charged taxpayers $2,904 for a two-night stay at the luxurious Bayerischer Hof when he went to a security conference in Munich, Germany in February of 2010. MacKay arrived in Munich ... http://fildebrandt.ca/2011/12/ctf-uncovers-mackay%e2%80%99s-1452-a-night-hotel-tab/ http://fildebrandt.ca/2011/11/mystery-fleet-of-government-jets-rarely-used/ MPs are spending less on their personal and common budgets in advance of the Auditor General’s expected expense report early in the New Year. Total spending is down 6.5 per cent ($9.3 million) across the board this past year when comparing the 2010-11 and 2009-10 Member’s Expenditure Reports. The primary reasons ... http://fildebrandt.ca/2011/11/mps-tighten-their-ship-in-advance-of-ag-report-on-expenses/ http://fildebrandt.ca/2011/11/navys-dud-sub-fiasco/ The CTF decided to bring it's National Debt Clock to the Conservative Convention this past weekend to remind the Tories that they are still borrowing $1, 024 a second. While that message was warmly welcomed by a large fiscal-conservative and libertarian component of the convention, not everyone took so kindly ... http://fildebrandt.ca/2011/06/slow-speed-police-chase-with-the-debt-clock/ http://fildebrandt.ca/2011/06/mp-pensions-richer-than-we-thought/