Senators yesterday endorsed another budget increase to almost $127 million a year. Figures show in six years the Senate payroll grew by a third while overall spending jumped 70%, according to Blacklock's Reporter..“This has got to stop,” Senator Donald Plett (MB), Leader of the Opposition in the Senate, told a budget committee hearing. The Senate payroll since 2016 has grown from 353 to 493 employees. The budget increased from $74.6 million to $126.7 million, a 70% increase, though the size of the Chamber is unchanged at 105 senators..“Now would be the time to start leading by example,” said Senator Plett. “I do not think our Senate in the last seven years has led by example.”.“We don’t have more senators,” said Plett. “Our services have not improved. And yet our budget has gone up 70%. I don’t know what private organization would get away with what we are asking the public to allow us to do. I am really disturbed by this.”.Senator Hassan Yussuff (ON) said the Senate should not compare itself to the private sector. “We are not a business, I’m sorry,” said Yussuff. “We are a government institution.”.“I think we need to differentiate how we manage an institution that is responsible for doing different things than businesses,” said Yussuff. “Businesses have bottom lines and the bottom line is either you’re making a profit or you’re not.”.“We’re not a private business, that’s true,” said Senator Claude Carignan (QC)..“We’re not a private sector business and thank heavens because in a private business you have to look at your revenues and manage it. When you don’t have revenues you have to live with the consequences. Here we’re lucky. We only have to manage expenses. So could we please do it properly?”.Senator Colin Deacon (N.S.) said members “can find a huge amount of savings” if they looked. “We are a publicly-funded monopoly,” said Deacon. “We don’t have an incentive to change. That’s a problem. I think we have to recognize that and start to revisit how we do our business.”.Other members of the Senate Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration expressed unease with any cutbacks. “I think we have to be cautious about the language we use and be positive,” said Senator Tony Dean (ON.). “We need to have some balance in this discussion because I think we might go off course,” agreed Senator Raymonde Saint-Germaine (QC)..“I do want to thank the employees,” said Senator Patricia Bovey (MB.). “It’s been a really tough few years.” Employees at the Senate “have worked really hard,” said Bovey.
Senators yesterday endorsed another budget increase to almost $127 million a year. Figures show in six years the Senate payroll grew by a third while overall spending jumped 70%, according to Blacklock's Reporter..“This has got to stop,” Senator Donald Plett (MB), Leader of the Opposition in the Senate, told a budget committee hearing. The Senate payroll since 2016 has grown from 353 to 493 employees. The budget increased from $74.6 million to $126.7 million, a 70% increase, though the size of the Chamber is unchanged at 105 senators..“Now would be the time to start leading by example,” said Senator Plett. “I do not think our Senate in the last seven years has led by example.”.“We don’t have more senators,” said Plett. “Our services have not improved. And yet our budget has gone up 70%. I don’t know what private organization would get away with what we are asking the public to allow us to do. I am really disturbed by this.”.Senator Hassan Yussuff (ON) said the Senate should not compare itself to the private sector. “We are not a business, I’m sorry,” said Yussuff. “We are a government institution.”.“I think we need to differentiate how we manage an institution that is responsible for doing different things than businesses,” said Yussuff. “Businesses have bottom lines and the bottom line is either you’re making a profit or you’re not.”.“We’re not a private business, that’s true,” said Senator Claude Carignan (QC)..“We’re not a private sector business and thank heavens because in a private business you have to look at your revenues and manage it. When you don’t have revenues you have to live with the consequences. Here we’re lucky. We only have to manage expenses. So could we please do it properly?”.Senator Colin Deacon (N.S.) said members “can find a huge amount of savings” if they looked. “We are a publicly-funded monopoly,” said Deacon. “We don’t have an incentive to change. That’s a problem. I think we have to recognize that and start to revisit how we do our business.”.Other members of the Senate Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration expressed unease with any cutbacks. “I think we have to be cautious about the language we use and be positive,” said Senator Tony Dean (ON.). “We need to have some balance in this discussion because I think we might go off course,” agreed Senator Raymonde Saint-Germaine (QC)..“I do want to thank the employees,” said Senator Patricia Bovey (MB.). “It’s been a really tough few years.” Employees at the Senate “have worked really hard,” said Bovey.
