Dalton McGuinty defends lotto boss payout, Calls $747,000 to settle her lawsuit a bargain
Jan 13th, 2010 | By Debbie Vitez | Section: Politicsthis ran in the Toronto Star..
He sez he did the right thing, admits he has no clue on the details. He throws away taxpayer money with no regard.. This is not acceptable..
Time for accountability … Your comments invited below..
CHATHAM, ONT.–The $747,000 paid to fired Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corp. boss Kelly McDougald to settle her wrongful dismissal lawsuit was a bargain for taxpayers, Premier Dalton McGuinty maintains.
Given that McDougald was seeking $8.85 million for being sacked from her $400,000-a-year job without severance following a spending scandal, “we settled for something considerably less than that,” McGuinty said after touring a school Tuesday.
“We thought we landed on something fair for taxpayers.”
The deal, quietly announced on Christmas Eve despite previous assertions from Finance Minister Dwight Duncan that the Aug. 31 firing was justified and would be “vigorously defended,” is being dubbed “the great Christmas giveaway” by New Democrat finance critic Michael Prue.
Opposition parties said the government, scrambling to deal with a record $24.7 billion deficit this year, would have been better off paying McDougald a year’s severance when she was dismissed, thereby preventing a lawsuit and costing taxpayers another $347,000 or so.
In his first public comments on the settlement, McGuinty acknowledged he was not familiar with the nitty-gritty details of the lawsuit, but defended the deal nevertheless.
“These are always difficult issues. One of the things you have to take into account is the cost of defending them over an extended period of time,” he said, referring to government legal costs.
Duncan’s office has repeatedly refused to release a breakdown of McDougald’s settlement, including any details on extended health or other benefits, job counselling and other possible features.
Critics have suggested the Liberals, who were under fire already for a runaway spending scandal at the electronic health records agency, eHealth Ontario and a $317,000 severance for its fired chief executive Sarah Kramer, sacked McDougald without severance to look tough to the public but ended up saddling taxpayers with extra costs.
In the lawsuit, which was never proven in court, McDougald portrayed herself as a political scapegoat who was not even in the job when some of the spending abuses took place more than two years ago.
link to story
http://www.thestar.com:80/news/ontario/article/749976–dalton-mcguinty-defends-lotto-boss-payout
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It’s sad,but sometimes it is cheaper to make the payout. Court costs,lawyer fees could have pushed the cost over a million, either way the taxpayers lose, but in this case, maybe he was right!
I’m sorry but when I have a hard time making ends meet and I am taxed to death, why should my dollar go for a payout. Maybe Mr Mcguinty should have a better insight as to what is going on in the first place.
Alot of us are having a helluva time making ends meet Louise ; but on this topic I have to agree wuth James. Court fees are exorbitant as are lawyers fees. That $747 000 figure which itself is huge could easily have pushed past the $1 million mark causing us again to dig deeper into our well worn pockets . Lets put some of the lottery funds into cutting off our deficit and building affordable housing . Hows that sound ? Mr McGuinty -Are you listening ?
Why are they being paid those huge dollars in the first place? and lets not forget those golden parachutes (their retirement packages).. When we struggle daily to survive.. She is a civil servant, and yet she sues for what was it? …8 million…. she knew it would come from us if she pursued it and won.. Did She care..?
Why do they think, they are worth so much more then the average person?
How can they be expected to understand the poverty in this country when they are living high, with huge expense accounts (that they constantly abuse ) or so we hear..
ACCOUNTABILITY.. WHERE IS IT..?
They say power corrupts, so maybe I should have that job, I am corrupt already!
I hate to say…..but in the long run it will cost the taxpayers less. But it amazes me that you can screw up on a job…..get fired and then receive a severance package….is it only me or is there something wrong with this picture
Why are they being paid (way) more then:
FIRE FIGHTERS…who run into burning buildings..
POLICE OFFICERS.. who dodge bullets..
TEACHERS… who teach our children..
NURSES… who are over worked and underpaid… and the list goes on an on..
You’re right Arley, Something is wrong with this picture..
There is no answer to the question of why they get paid more. Same as why do Hockey players make millions.
Probably because people are willing to pay for the pleasures of the spirit. Have you tried to get a ticket to a Maple leaf game? Do you see the long lineups at the Lotto kiosks when the draws reach big money? Where the big money is, the big money goes. As for our Police,fire etc.. well, I hate to say it but they know going in to the job what it pays. It is a shame the amount they get paid, but there is always people willing to go into the services dispite the pay. I would like to think of them as unselfish souls who do it for the good of our Country, unlike pro athletes and bureaucrats who do it just for the money.
And before you think that I don’t care for these people let me tell you what is in my family. I had 3 family members who were Fireman, 3 Teachers, An OPP officer, Toronto Police constable, too many nurses to count, 2 Doctors, A nun and a Priest, and I know they have done or did their jobs to the best of their ability’s and were all satisfied with a job well done. Is it right? No, but it is life and has always been that way and unless communism comes in, will always be that way. But that is my opinion.
James….you are right. people who go into to jobs that should pay more respect and pay are people that are unselfish…enjoy their jobs and are giving,,,,too bad the scale is not always equal