BIGGER IS BETTER !!

It is one of those sayings that does not invite challenge.

In that sense, it is similar to the sentence in Robert Frost’s Poem the Mending Wall: Good Fences Make Good Neighbours.

And yet, when we lived in Toronto in the late 1980s – everyone had a fence, but no one knew their neighbour.

Moving next to Prince Edward Island, we found no fences and yet everyone knew their neighbour.

So maybe … just maybe, ‘good fences do not make good neighbours’.

But of course we are not talking about fences – rather today’s topic is Bigger is Better.  As in the need for more immigration.

I just listened an Expert on a local talk show waxing on about Canada’s “desperate need for immigration” because our birth rate is below replacement value.  “We need immigration if we hope to continue to see our population grow” said he.

But Why, I ask myself, do we need to grow a bigger population?  Presumably the day will come when all of earth’s women will not have a sufficient number of babies to sustain population growth.

What then – do we just all shrivel up and die?

The Day’s Expert went on to say that with a growing population we would need more doctors, nurses, engineers and the like.  And he pointed out that this would lead to a need for even more immigration.  The guy was beside himself with delight at the sound of his words.

But for me the reverse of his statement would also be true - with less immigration – i.e. less growth, Canada’s need for more more professionals would lessen.

Would it not?

The Expert went on to state that Canada currently has a critical need for “skilled workers” and again pointed to increased immigration as the magic wand to rectify this deficiency.

But here too I got to thinking; what about our own workforce.  Currently only 60% of working age are employed. Unemployment is especially chronic amongst our young where nearly 15% unemployment is the norm – twice the national figure for all of working age.

So why not make a greater effort to train our own citizens and provide them with the skills our society so desperately needs? They would benefit along with our society.

Fences may indeed not result in better neighbours and Immigration may not result in a better society.

They may well do … but I would be much happier if these …what I term …Rhetorical Assertions … were at least challenged to endeavour to determine the real truth behind them.

As I see it …

“K.D. Galagher’

 

 

 

This Blog Is Not About …

 

The discrepancy between the average public servant’s salary / benefits and those in the private sector – is plus 42% as determined by the Canadian Federation of Independent Business. 

Or to be more precise – some $114,100 compared to $47,200.

Nor is this Blog about their taking 18.2 sick days per year – some 2.5 times more than their private sector counterparts.

Rather this Blog is about firings an area where the private sector comes in first …for a change.

Each year, on average, 5 to 10 % of private sector employees are let go for ‘unsatisfactory’ work.  Whereas the rate pertaining to federal government employees is a miniscule .06 %.

This is a ratio of approximately 20:1 assuming the lesser value of 5%.

Wow.

Maybe the public sector just has much better employees?

Or maybe not.

Anyway, the President of Treasury Board recently announced that he was going to address this issue via performance appraisals.

Problem is, it won’t work and not just because performance appraisals have been a mandatory part of the functioning of the civil service for years now.

It won’t work simply because performance reviews do not work in the public sector.

And they do not work simply because there is no incentive for them to work – i.e. unlike the private sector there is no profit motivator.

In the private sector, for an organization to continue to exist, it must be profitable and any who get in the way of that, risk having their jobs terminated.

In the public sector – there is no such discipliner; in fact it takes much work for a manager to build a case against the work challenged. 

So why go to the bother of firing someone if there is no  bottom-line reason to do and much work in the doing.

Precisely and that is why Tony Clement’s initiative is headed to failure in this area.

The Tory Government can huff and puff all it wants but at the end of the day, their will be just as many deadbeats in place as there always were.

In fact the very real danger exists that good employees nearing retirement will volunteer for dismissal just to get a redundancy package.

So what would you do Galagher?

Good question.

Given that the rate in the private sector is between 5 and 10%, I would tell government departments that each year they would have to release 2 to 3 % of their non-performers.  Their decisions would have to be backed up by two to three years’ work of unsatisfactory appraisals (which in government means ‘satisfactory’ appraisals) in order to block good employees from trying to take advantage of the system.

This would represent at least a start to unload those employees who like to coast – they are not the majority by any means but there certainly are at least 2 to 3 % in any given year.

Not only would some deadwood finally get addressed but it would also help morale since it is not easy for those many who work hard in government having to watch - even a few - sit back at their desks and retire in place.

Going back to the rates of pay and benefits – an issue this Blog is not about – I would cut these by 20% across the board to avoid layoffs and to bring this important aspect back into a better balance.

Since Canada spent 43.8 Billion in 2011 on 375,000 employees – including the RCMP and the Military – a 20 % reduction would save the Government nearly $9 Billion per annum – a sum that would go along way in helping to eradicate the deficit while taking some of the pressure off ‘you know who’.

As I see it…

‘K.D. Galagher’

No Room At The Inn …

 

This follows on from my most recent Blog about the suicide of 19 year old Ashley Smith.

Simply stated, she was in the wrong system … primarily because the right and proper system does not exist here in Canada.

This fact was again highlighted in yesterday’s column of Christina Blizzard entitled ‘Most Vulnerable Are Suffering’ and focuses on the case of 19 year old Philippe Telford-Chiasson.

This teenager suffers from a number of conditions most notably severe Tourette's syndrome.  He is completely unable to take care of himself and his parents – at their wits end – were forced recently to drop their son off at a local office of the provincial developmental services agency.

They simply could no longer care for their son in their home; their own health was suffering.

The problem for the Phillippe and others like him, is that there is no alternative housing for them and we can thank successive Liberal, NDP and Conservative Governments for this.

Indeed it was David Peterson’s Government in 1987 that started the ball rolling with their announcement that all institutions for the developmentally disabled in Ontario would be closed. 

Their misguided thinking was that the Philippe’s of Ontario would be better served in their own homes or at least in their own communities.

The fact though, then and it is now, in most cases they cannot be cared for properly in their own homes – and alternative accommodation in their own communities is virtually non-existent.  

The last three (3) institutions, including nearby Smith Falls were closed by the McGuinty Government in 2009.

We have a member of our own extended family who is much like Phillippe so this issue has touched me personally.  My heart goes out to the Phillippe’s and their parents.  I cannot imagine what it is like faced with dead-ends in their desire to see the best done for their child. 

That said, I hold all Ontario Governments over the course of the last 25 years responsible for this sorry state.  I particularly have the greatest distain for one Dalton McGuinty since it was he who promised back in 2003 that his if elected Premier, his new Government would provide Intensive Behavioural Intervention for all Autistic Children regardless of age.

In all the years that he was Premier – he never acted on his promise despite the fact that autism makes up a large percentage of Ontario’s developmentally disabled.

For me his failure ranks right up their with his reducing Ontario to Have-Not Status.

As I see it…

‘K.D. Galagher’

Ashley Smith … One Troubled Soul

 

A Coroner’s Inquest is currently underway in Kitchener in regard to the self strangulation of Ashley Smith, an inmate at the Grand Valley Institution for Women in October 2007.

Many good articles have been written concerning this very troubled teen, most notably by Christie Blatchford of the National Post.

Smith first had run ins with the authority in her very early teens in her home town of Moncton New Brunswick.  The ‘crimes’ she committed were of the usual sort for a young teen e.g. trespass, causing a disturbance but by the time she was 15, she was continually skipping school and causing numerous breaches of the peace, as well as inflicting injuries to her body.

She was diagnosed at this point with ADHD.

Until she reached age 18, Ashley was continually in and out of juvenile detention.

Upon reaching age of majority, she was transferred to women’s prison and began attempts to seriously injure herself, most usually by tying rope / strings around her neck.  It became an almost daily event.

At first guards responded quickly to her rescue but by the time she had reached 19 and was now jailed in Kitchener Ontario, word had been given to her guards to only interfere with her attempts at suicide if death was imminent.

One day in October, 2007 the guards waited a few seconds too long and young Ashley succumbed to her self administered strangulation.

The Warden was fired and guards criminally charged for the wanton way in which they stood back and let this young lady die.

In due course though, the criminal charges were withdrawn when it became evident that these self same guards were under orders from above to do just what they did – i.e. wait.

The Coroner’s Inquiry has placed a spot light on this very sad chapter of Canadian Penal History.

Wrong was done.

Not by the guards however but by the system.

She never ever should have been admitted to the criminal justice system – either at the juvenile level and most especially at the penitentiary level.

As for the guards, they are not there to be on call 24 hours per day, 7 days per week to prevent a suicide. Even by saying their directive to go slow was ill advised, sooner or later, Ashley would have been successful – regardless.

Back when she was but 15 enough evidence existed to confirm she needed mental health assistance.  She needed active mental health treatment in a facility designed specifically for that.

Here in Canada, we have very few such facilities and young ones like Ashley are dying or going untreated.

The System failed Ashley – but it was not the Guards nor even the Warden who did so. 

It was us – the public for not having demanded better care for our mentally ill kids long before now. 

As I see it …

‘K.D. Galagher’

 

The Honourable George Harris Hees ..

 

A Belated Eulogy by his former staff.

When we see how politics has fallen into disrepute in recent times, we consider ourselves most fortunate to have worked for one of Canada’s last great statesmen-politicians, the Honourable George Hees.

Mr. Hees passed away in Toronto on June 11, 1996 at the age of 85.  This Monday, June 17th, would have been his 103rd birthday.

Married in 1934 to Mabel Dunlop..’the Pembroke Pearl’, the Hees’ had three daughters and a life together full of interesting times and adventure.

Save for a brief interlude between 1963 and 1965, our Boss was continually a Member of Parliament from 1950 until his retirement in 1988.

His accomplishments were legend: all star athlete culminating with his being on the 1938 Grey Cup Champion Toronto Argonauts; a war hero wounded in the heavily fought battle for the Walcheren Causeway in Holland in 1944; a most successful businessman having had to take over the family business at a young age after his father was killed in a riding accident; he served as Cabinet Minister in the Diefenbaker Government of 1957-1963 both as Minister of Transport and Minister of Trade and Commerce;and, later in life served in the Mulroney Government as both Minister of Veterans Affairs and Minister of State for Seniors. 

The list could go on and on but for us, Mr. Hees was far more than these biographical entries.  He was a gentleman of the first order.

Always cheerful and never critical he inspired his staff to do their utmost simply by the fact that we never wanted to let him down.  On those occasions when we did, he encouraged us to shake it off “we all make mistakes” he said, “and no one more than me”. 

When asked one time what best prepared him for a life in politics he replied simply, “that’s easy, sports, in sports you have to depend on your teammates and with sports comes both victory and failure and the lessons learned in how to successfully deal with each”.

He did not view the Members of other parties as the enemy, rather he considered them friends, all working in the interests of a better Canada and he lived that philosophy by example, as well as by word.  When we came to work for him as the newly appointed Minister of Veterans Affairs his first order of business for us was to get to know the Veterans’ Opposition Critics. He asked us to find out what he could do for them to make their jobs easier all with the goal that this would benefit veterans whom he viewed as the most special of Canadians.

We can hear him now … in his speeches … telling audiences of the sacrifices made by these young men and women, “they risked their lives, risked having their heads were blown off and too often their limbs destroyed, all so that we might enjoy the many freedoms we have today.”

Our Boss was fond of mottos; while Minister for Trade and Commerce in the early 1960s he promoted the phrase You Can’t Do Business Sitting On Your Ass and neckties of a donkey accompanied with the letters YCDBSOYA soon flourished.  While Minister of Veterans Affairs he coined the phrase Courtesy, Generosity and Speed (C.G.S.). Both these mottos encouraged his departments to double their efforts on behalf of their respective clientele.

Mr. Hees was very much from the old school in that he was proud of his profession and proud of his colleagues on all sides of the House of Commons. Often he would coach newly elected M.P.s regardless of party just because that was the way he was. Few know this, but he met often with Pierre Elliott Trudeau to discuss issues of the day.

Also of interest, was the fact that he was offered a Senate position by both the Liberals and the Conservatives but dismissed them by saying “I’m too young to retire.”

Perhaps the best way to sum up this Eulogy is to refer back to Hansard on the last day George Hees appeared in the House of Commons, the date was September 1, 1988:

Neil Young the NDP Critic for Veterans Affairs stood and asked the Boss a rather soft question – he began with the following lead-in – “My question is to the Minister of Veterans Affairs, and it may very well be the last chance I have to ask the Minister a question in the House or indeed for him to give a response.  And I regret that very much Mr. Speaker, because the Minister has been appreciated by all members on all sides of the House and certainly by the Veterans of Canada”.

Mr. Young’s question was met with thunderous applause throughout.

George Hees then replied -

“To start with, Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank all Honourable members for their very kind and generous expression of good will that they accorded me a few moments ago. This is one of the reasons that makes serving in Parliament the finest profession that anyone can have. I’ve enjoyed it tremendously not only because of the work that we’re all able to do,but because of the associations that we make, not only with members of our own party, but with members of all other parties.”

This was followed by several standing ovations.

It has been a quarter century since the voice of George Harris Hees echoed in the Halls of Parliament but for many and most especially for those like us who had the honour to have worked for him, those words will never be stilled.

Respectively submitted by:

Keith Bell … Former Chief of Staff

Shirley Cheevers … Former Executive Assistant

 

 

Even In Retirement … McGuinty …

 

Puts the screws to us.

Today Dalton McGuinty formally announced his retirement as MPP for Ottawa South after 23 years as a Member and 9 years as Premier.

He lied to the end – having initially promised to stay as MPP until the “next election”.

In once sense – it is good – nay – great to see him go after continued lies and billions of waste.

In another sense he leaves giving the finger to democracy.

How So?

Coupled with his announcement this morning was a statement that a nomination meeting to replace him will take place within a week’s time.  The only person ready for such a nomination is … guess who?

You got it – his constituency assistant – John Fraser.

No one else has a chance to organize given that virtually no notice of the nomination meeting was given and that, again, the McGuinster had promised to hang in there until the next election leaving real candidates on the sidelines.

The guy is sleazy to the end.

But it is democracy that suffers.

My hope is that someone will get nominated from the floor but the likelihood of that is just about zero.

My second more realistic hope is that the good folks of Ottawa South tire of being taken for fools and votes in another Party – even the Rhino Party would do.

This though is just one more arrogant, self righteous act by a pitiful little individual.

This on top of yesterday’s display where a rump NDP props up a totally discredited Grit Government. 

Is there anyone out there that still believes we live in a vibrant democracy?

If so, please contact me since you must be one rare bird.

As I see it…

‘K.D. Galagher’

Sometimes in my home town of Brighton, Ontario …

 

We did things differently.

Take our annual swimming lessons for instance.

With the end of school in late June, we kids headed each morning for the pristine white beaches of Presqu’ile Park located a few miles south of our village - on Lake Ontario.

We went there for our annual swimming lessons which lasted a few weeks over late June and early July.

The swimming lessons, dear reader, were conducted on the pristine white beaches; not, unfortunately in the cold waters of the Lake.

Back in those days, all prior to Global Warming, Lake Ontario did not warm up sufficiently for swimming until very late July or more likely, early to mid August.

Ergo we took our lessons in the sand.

As you can imagine, I became quite proficient swimming in sand but not so in water.

Sand swimming had advantages other than just being warmer than water, but admittedly, sand diving did present its special challenges.

We did not realize it at the time, but I suspect our swimming teachers were preparing us for life down the road in arid countries like Saudi Arabia. Swimming through their famous sand storms would be a breeze for our Brighton Swim Contingent.

Had things been left at that, I would have been okay but after two or three years of sand swimming, my mother lost her patience (she was raised in Toronto and did not always understand nor appreciate the niceties of our small town)

The following year she enrolled me in intermediate lessons.  Sadly, these lessons took place at the public dock on Brighton Bay where the waters were over 20 feet deep.

So there I was one frosty morning in June, at the dock, after having completed two to three years of beginner sand swimming lessons.

I can still hear my instructor even now asking me if I knew how to swim?  Since he did not specify water or sand swimming, I said I did.

“Jump in” he said, and away I went…all the way 20 feet down to the bottom.

You know that white bright light near deaths talk about seeing?  Well I saw it that fateful morning at Brighton Bay.

Even today, I am not much of a water swimmer but you should see me go like a fish on sand.

As I see it …

‘K.D. Galagher’