March 9, 2010- Disappointed, but not surprised

A lot of people I've been talking to are very, very upset at the treatment afforded the husband of Simcoe Grey MP Helena Guergis in a court in Orangeville today. To those people, I say, "Seriously? You're surprised?"

Come on now, did you really think there was just the one system in this country? When you needed timely access to tests and specialists in our health care system, didn't having that cousin or aunt who worked in health care work out pretty well for you? When your sister's kid was looking for a summer job, didn't you put a good word in with the boss? You have the right to be upset at this case only if you never, ever, ever have been the beneficiary of 'it's not what you know, it's who you know'.

Here's what I am shocked at in this whole case: that Rahim Jaffer's charges ever became public in the first place. That the case made it to a courtroom at all.

Here's what will not shock me: when Simcoe Grey remains a Conservative riding in October, after the next federal election.

Oh, and for all you folks upset, check this out: while Jaffer remains without a criminal record, think about the full pension he gets when he turns 65 (and I suspect he will be able to tap into it sooner). The way I understand it, it's 85% of the salary he drew while an MP, which was somewhere around 157K. Guergis, meantime, has been an MP long enough to draw a full pension, too, but if she manages to stay in the cabinet for another year or two, she'll get her indexed pension on the 214K we currently pay her. How's that for criminal?