Public service in politics used to be a thing. That is, those working for the government realized they were living at the expense of others by enforced taxation, and hence realize that they were truly servants of the people, and should offer this service in a spirit of charity, good-will and sacrifice.
As a window into that lost world, here is brief biography of Canada’s first Liberal Prime Minister, the Scotsman Alexander Mackenzie, who was a master stonemason before he was elected to parliament, a chore he did not relish. He refused back-dealing, intrigue, secrets: I determined to rule in broad daylight or not at all. He refused gifts and privileges, and also refused to promise such to Canadians, fearing he would be ‘buying their votes’. After his stint in office, he was offered an award from Queen Victoria, which he refused, claiming that Canada has no ‘landed aristocracy’. He died poor.
How far we have come, and not in the right direction. Public servants now act as public masters, and instead of giving, they’re too often on the grift. Examples are too numerous, but here be just a few:
MP pay increasing between $7,900 and $15,800 in 2025.
When MP Mike Dawson refused the raise on principle, unwittingly perhaps evoking the long-lost example of Mr. Mackenzie. Mr. Dawson was vilified by his fellows, who took the money and ran with it all the way to the bank. The base salary of an MP is now $209,800, and ratchets up over six thousand each year. Keep in mind that this hefty compensation does not tell the whole story, for along with that they get full pension, benefits, travel and expense and apartment accounts, and, if they’re elected for but two terms, a life-long gold-plated pension, indexed to inflation.
And it’s not just the politicians, but also their cronies, kith, kin and fellow travelers. Where does a quarter of a billion dollars disappear to? Whither will Carney’s two billion dollars of our money, not his, to Ukraine end up? And who said money doesn’t grow on wind farms?
Oh, to have a thrifty, virtuous Scotsman back as Prime Minister! In fact, I’d take anyone who sees other people’s money as a treasure that is not his own, and who takes on his office as a gift to others, and not a grift for himself.
