You would think such a respected forum as this would have some sway in the political arena, wouldn't you? I called for Bev Oda to leave government in disgrace over a year ago. Didn't anyone act on this? I am appalled...

You can read my previous Vanity Card #078 as to why Minister Oda first hit my radar. To sum up, she had an approved document changed (fraud) and then lied about it. And now...

Minister Oda has had her expenses audited, and it turns out she was wasting taxpayer money big time on a European business trip. I mean, more than the usual politician does.

So, after a brief media scuffle, it is announced that she pays some of it back (hotel bills above and beyond the one the government booked for her - when she decided to upsize her order) and she apologizes. When the media keeps on it, she pays a little more of it back (that would be the limo and driver to get to the new hotel which was farther away from the conference than the original one). And now, the media seems to have moved on to brighter scandals, since apparently the public doesn't actually have a memory of more the three or four days.

I do. I posted on the 23rd of February 2011 that Bev Oda should go, and I've never stopped. I've actually mentioned Bev Oda in four (five, with this one) of my vanity cards. Hell, apart from my dear partner, I think that actually makes her my most common person of reference.

Here's the thing Bev and boss Stephen... Apologizing only when you get caught is not seen as sincere. Making recompense only when you get caught is not seen as sincere. If you knew you were doing wrong, you are trying to fool the people that pay your salary, who want honesty. If you didn't know you were doing wrong, you are not paying attention to the people that pay your salary, who want costs kept in check. And that's me being nice. My first version was if you knew you were doing wrong, you're a crook, and if you didn't know, you're stupid. But I really don't want to be that mean here...

Anyway, here's the real salt on the wound to the Canadian taxpayer. Paying back the expenses you shouldn't have made in the first place is not a punishment. I mean, let's say I rob banks for a living. If I get caught, say, 50% of the time and when I get caught I have to pay back the money I stole for that crime, then I have a 50% profit margin. (Ok, that's simplistic, as committing crimes costs money. I'll assume you already own the guns and getaway cars, so that's a sunk cost and doesn't count. But I digress...) Anyway, do you get it? Why would I stop committing material crimes, if there is no punishment except giving the stuff back if I'm caught?

I want to see fines! If you submitted fraudulent or unnecessary expenses, I want you to pay them back AND to pay a fine! That way, you just might think about not doing it next time.