space station

Friday January 29, 2021

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Friday January 29, 2021

Despite resigning, Julie Payette still qualifies for perks such as a $149,484 annual pension for life

January 23, 2021

Julie Payette submitted her resignation as Governor General on Thursday, but despite leaving early due to a workplace scandal she’ll still qualify for a lifetime pension of at least $149,484 per year.

The lifetime annuity is set out in legislation called the Governor General’s Act and it applies to anyone who has held the office, regardless of how they leave it. It rises slowly over time, currently standing at $149,484.

“An annuity payable under this section shall commence on the day the annuitant ceases to hold the office of Governor General and shall continue thereafter during his life,” the legislation says (using outmoded gendered language).

July 14, 2017

On top of that, former governors general are entitled to a lifetime expense program that gives them access to up to $206,000 per year from the budget of the Office of the Secretary to the Governor General.

Speaking to reporters, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the rules are clear around the entitlements for outgoing governors general.

The expense program was established in 1979 on the rationale that former governors general still carry out duties related to their role after they leave office, such as attending ceremonies and making speeches.

February 20, 2004

Details of the expenses are not mandated to be disclosed and are not subject to federal access-to-information legislation. The National Post has previously reported on them based on an accounting quirk that causes the expenses to show up in the federal government’s public accounts if one person claims more than $100,000 in a year. Only Adrienne Clarkson has repeatedly claimed this amount in recent years.

David Johnston, however, has started proactively disclosing his expense claimsunder the program, the only former governor general to do so. During his time as governor general, Johnston developed the first concrete guidelines around how the expenses can be claimed, implementing them in 2012.

The federal government also provides multi-million dollar grants to former governors general to start their own charitable foundation after leaving office. In the case of Clarkson, for example, the government provided $3 million in a start-up grant plus up to $7 million over 10 years to match donations from the private sector; Clarkson used this funding to start the Institute for Canadian Citizenship. (National Post) 

 

Thursday February 19, 1998

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Thursday February 19, 1998

$20.5m makeover eyed for city hall

The “jewel” of downtown Hamilton may get a $20.5-million multi-year polishing.

Glorious architecture gallery

A nine-year retrofit of city hall, proposed in this year’s capital budget, would beautify and upgrade the nine-storey marble-sided building on Main Street West at Bay Street.

It’s a makeover that’s long overdue, says Alderman Dave Wilson.

“We’ve been to every council chamber in the region, and ours is the worst.” It’s embarrassing, he added.

Lieutenant-Governor Hilary Weston saw more torn carpet than red carpet when she visited on Monday.

The threadbare carpet in the council chamber is patched with duct tape, and city staff rented new blinds last fall to replace the chambers’ tattered curtains.

The project, which must be approved by city council, includes major upgrades of the building’s electrical and mechanical infrastructure.

Bob Desnoyers, assistant manager of building operations and maintenance, said the city has no money set aside to pay for the retrofit. He said the $20.5-million price tag is based on staff estimates. If the project gets a green light, a consultant will be hired, and the cost “refined, ” Desnoyers said.

Wilson said that once the city budget is hammered out, council will know how much it can afford to spend, but an upgrade is clearly needed.

“The electrical capacity isn’t up to it, ” he said. “No one had personal computers back when they built city hall, and now we have 700, ” while the upper floors are a “rabbit warren” of cramped offices and narrow, twisting hallways.

Part of the problem is city hall has too many people in it, and some departments and staff may have to be moved into new quarters elsewhere.

Desnoyers said city hall is bulging with around 550 people. Even the basement, originally a storage area, is fitted with offices.

The cramped conditions will be further strained as Regional Chairman Terry Cooke, chief administrative officer Michael Fenn and clerk Robert Prowse and their staffs prepare to move out of regional headquarters in the Ellen Fairclough Building at 119 King St. W. and into new offices at city hall in April.

Details of the refit include new elevators, renovation of the council chamber and the public spaces on the first and second floor, a new entrance for the mayor’s office, and a permanent committee meeting room big enough to handle private meetings of the full city and regional councils.

Additional office space for regional councillors from the suburbs must be found, and the building’s major heating, cooling and water systems need to be replaced.

Wilson said work could begin this summer.

Cultural and recreation manager Ross Fair wrote to council’s finance and administration committee: “When constructed in 1958 and opened in 1961, it was the jewel of the downtown. Sadly, it is difficult to say that today.” (Hamilton Spectator, A3, 2/18/1998)