Do Canadian politicians spend too much?

Fiscal responsibility has to start at the point of control, our government. Our politicians have to be out in the world, but they have to curtail their expenses. Just as they are on view to the world they are on view to Canadians. The average person has seen a need to change their spending habits, the government should reflect this same need.
We still do not understand the expenses for hosting political functions during economic turmoil. The summits' for leaders of equally distressed economies surely did not expect unecessary extravagance, A lake built for this event??????? We have a beautiful country there was no need for this expense. Harper could have used these summits as a photo op to concessions made by government during economic uncertainty.
As for what Harper's trips have garnered for Canada, we can only wait for the results.
At election time people should let their feelings guide their x.

I really enjoy people throwing out numbers... do you know that 95.7% of stats are made up on the spot unless documented on paper?

Yes, fiscal responsibility is paramount for any public employee - including the PM. However, review the context and Harper is way more fiscal conservative than any developing nations or G8 leaders.

I don't disagree with the findings, but please look at the context and see if the $7 million the government cost justifies the overall perception. For example, would we want a plane our PM can travel and sit idle while he takes commercial flights? What's is the headline: Canadian PM takes public flight... poor Harper. Taglines are: Canadian must be in difficult financial strain that the country leader have to take commerical flight. We are the strongest and 'SOUND' economy of the world (currently) with strong mandate and policy. I like the opposition parties to complaint on better matters than self-serving 15 minutes of fame/photo-op which seems more than Harper gets on over-see trip!

Like the article stated, the chinese tourist alone pays the entire cost of Harper's annual travel budget ~ now that is smart business savy not blind ignorance. If Canada can get 1% increase of any travel dollars from the Chinese... ask the opposition what those figures are and if its justified! Bet you any increase in travel to Canadian soil is positive image for any political party/leader/nation's pride.

Well, I vote on policy(s) which is why I am a card holder for both the liberal and conservation - fiscal responsibility while helping those in our society with needs. Speaking as an immigrant who have enjoy the Liberal party policies of helping Canadians and the fiscal conservatism of the the PC party.

The media and critiics being any active participant and remember that they should be 'sound' active listeners and observers. They should stop using numbers and provide serious dialogue instead which the article did surprisely well.

JK out.

The author of this stupid little article and the editor who chose to run it are both filthy hypocrites! Yes, there should be some contacts between governments at the federal level.....and that means Harper and a few others of his government have to get on a plane once in a while. What the hypocrite author of the article ignores is all the little USELESS fish jetting off around the world. For instance, why should the City of Toronto pay for an `environmental office` in London England? Why should city/municipal political elected swine get a free ride around the world? What possible business could a Toronto politician do in Rio de Janeiro? 99% of ALL government travel is a waste-CLIP ALL their WINGS and stop singling out and whining about Harper you Lie-beral swine-as Prime Minister he has the most authority to represent all of us and is the one who ought to go if anybody should!

This artica is a waste of time and must be written by a liberals.

Yes, this article seems to have been written by a liberal. My question is, in comparison, how much more would the liberals have wasted in office? From looking at the past, my opinion is, the liberals are much more wasteful and definitely don't have their priorities straight. So, quit picking on Mr. Harper??

Sure, all politicians spend like crazy and they waste millions of taxpayers money...so what? Tell me concerned citizens of this country. What the hell are you gonna do about it stupid? Al politicians have done likewise in the past, yet all Canadians do is whine, bitch and complain, yet they do dick all about it. So why complain, Harper is only ripping you off, just what you expect of a politician.
You dumb idiot citizens of this country, you get exactly what you deserve. When you do nothing, you gain nothing, so shut up, bend over and let these corrupt bastards called politicians dp what they have always done.

Fisal restraint is needed in ALL levels of governement. Period. WHo cares what party it is, they are all the same. Ever notice how - no matter whch party is in power- year after year our taxes go up as government spending goes up? It's just too easy to spend more and tax more. This is what has to stop. Hell, I can tighten my belt wby can't the elcected officials. It's time to quit looking at the the governement as some bottomless money pit. Tax payers money = government.

lemmings who can be duped into believing there is a huge difference between political parties, should meet up here on these blogs. oh wait, it looks like it's happened already.

really?? 7 million dollars for 15 trips??? and this is acceptable???
half a million dollars per trip???
pointing the fingers of blame does not even remotely justify these expenses.
and let's not forget that our global reputation has suffered even though our p.m. is willing
to blow $500,000 on a trip.
the only party going on here is one of waste.

The government wastes so much moeny it isn't funny.
First i am not too happy that all a politician from city council to prime minister work 4 years and get a pension that is more then alot of people make a month working.
I say change that first to where you work 4 years you do your job and you leave no pension no severance package nothing you get your final paycheque and you go on your way, if you do a good enough job you get welcomed back for another contract and if your a screw up or a theif you don't get to come back.
Second NO EXPENSE ACCOUNTS these are rediculous if you want lunch at a restaurant then pay for it out of you own pocket or bring a lunch from home. (btw i personally like my wife's cooking over ANY restaurant any day of the week) same goes for coffee or drinks or whatever.
Try not spending money and saving it for once you might find debt does not occur as much.

The Canadian Government is a joke, they think about illegal immigrants than there own country, pretty sad. They sneak into our country and they get treated like kings and queens while there own people get treated like a piece of shit. We get further into debt everyday for aiding millions of tax payers dollars while our government cuts back schools for children, infanstructure, health care....etc. When is the Canadian government going to wake up and get a backbone and start saying no about aiding. Who's going to aid us when we have problems, no one like normal. Harper shape up or ship out we need a pm like chretian someone who cared about Canada. The government is screwed up. STOP IMMIGRATION YOU IDIOT.

All politicians no matter what level of government treat tax payers as cash cows. Whatever a politician does will be paid for. There may be inquiries, audits and finger wagging, but no worries. They have no respect for me and I have none for them.

i like the idea that someone who can't get a majority gov't would be willing to spend 300 million three times just to try to get it anyways.
NOW, THAT IS WHAT I CALL FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY!?!

(information like that will not just go away, simply because his supporters label me a liberal)