Some things just need to be said...

Friday, July 08, 2005

BC Liberals land softly


BC Liberal Virginia Greene loses election , wins pay raise.

Meet the new deputy minister of Tourism, Sports and the Arts. Premier Campbell reminded us Greene has ten years of public service, five of which she was assistant deputy minister of tourism under the Bill Bennett and Bill panders governments, that was in the 1980's.

Greene ran in Vancouver-Fairview a seat previously held by BC Finance Minister, Gary Collins. Collins left before the last election to become CEO of harmony Airlines. Greene lost to BC NDP candidate Gregor Robertson. Robertson is co-owner of Happy Planet juices and was recently named one of Canada's top 40 businesspersons under 40 years of age.

Greene's soft landing after losing out-does Jeff Bray, another Liberal given a plum job after he lost to NDP leader Carole James in Victoria Beacon-Hill. Bray will make approximately 100,000 per year as head of the BC Liberal Caucus. Deputy Ministers will make about 130,ooo to 160,000 per year.

You can say all you want about Gordon Campbell, but he remembers his friends. Underperforming former cabinet minister, Sindi Hawkins from Kelowna Mission, was given the soft exit to Deputy Speaker, providing her with an additional $30,000 add on to her MLA pay cheque.

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