Pity poor Christy Clark, whose $200,000 salary as premier of the province isn’t adequate for her needs. So miniscule is the sum, she has to beef it up with about $50,000 she earns moonlighting as the chief attraction for her party.
A minor furor erupted in the legislature this week over the issue, with the NDP’s David Eby accusing the premier of earning a “commission” on party donations – something the premier has rejected.
But in terms of the smell test, the odour being cast isn’t pretty.
We would argue there are some jobs that come with such power and responsibility they should be exclusive contracts. We doubt you’ll find many chief judges out moonlighting at second jobs, for instance, because their role means the avoidance of both real and perceived conflicts of interest.
The role of the premier should be similar. The premier is someone who sets the agenda for the entire province for the benefit of all citizens, not just those who support her party.
The dual issues of the premier’s “extra pay” and the selling of access to the premier for party fundraising highlights a fundamental problem in modern politics: the disappearance of all boundaries between governing and campaigning.
The “quick wins” scandal prior to the last election demonstrated the party’s limited grasp on the issue and their surprise victory in 2013 seems to only have emboldened them to tread even farther into ethically dubious territory.
It’s clear we need stricter rules in this province. Whatever the Clark payments represent, they undermine public confidence in her office, and in everyone’s best interest, they should stop.
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