Letters and Editorials 4738 Views by Pauline

Pamela Wallin: Senator too busy to vote.







The hole Senator Pamela Wallin dug herself into becomes deeper and deeper as she finds herself in trouble for failure to vote. A May 2013 letter from Wallin to the Senate administration to give an explanation why she didn't vote in the past municipal, provincial and federal elections has been obtained by Globe and Mail. In the letter she says she didn't turn up to vote on all these occasions because of her busy schedule. An investigation to ensure the validity of primary residence declarations by the senators has been going on and Wallin’s disclosure was part of this probe.

“We are updating information for the Primary and Secondary Residences Declaration as requested,” the letter notes.

“My failure to vote in the last federal, provincial and municipal elections was as a result of travel and work schedule.”

A sitting legislator who is supposed to uphold the values of democracy and voting being a central element did not find time to vote? The argument doesn't make sense because in her primary residence, Saskatchewan there is one Election Day and five advance voting day which makes a total of six voting days. Besides all this absentee voting exists.

As much as Wallin claim to spend 168 days a year in her home province, it doesn't make sense to say that she couldn't find time to vote. The only good explanation is either Wallin doesn't make it a priority to vote in Saskatchewan or she doesn't spend enough time in her home province.

Another interesting issue from the letter that has raised eyebrows is:  “Birth certificate and driver’s license are copied and enclosed. In both Ontario and Saskatchewan I have been denied health coverage and therefore I cannot provide a card.”

One of Wallin’s staff members Mark Fisher emailed a statement to Yahoo Canada News saying that his boss owns a Saskatchewan health card.” A story by Kim Mackrael has been run by Globe and mail which has been considered false and defamatory by Senator Wallins,” he wrote. “The headline story that said Senator Wallin does not own a health card was false. She owns a Saskatchewan health card.” Fisher did not follow up on the email.

The health card issue which could give Wallin’s argument credibility that Saskatchewan is in fact her primary residence is very significant. The residents of that province are required by its health ministry to be present in the province not less than six months every year to qualify for the benefits of the provincial health.

An auditor commissioned by the Senate is conducting an investigation on Wallin for claiming more than $375,000 in travel claims for a period of just two years.

The senator has admitted to making expenses mistakes in an interview with CBC’s Peter Mansbridge but she has blamed this on a mountain of paperwork and the fact that there are no direct flights connecting Ottawa and Saskatchewan. She also blamed her speaking engagements across the country.

On his face book page, NDP MP Charlie Angus tried to sum up Wallins mess when he wrote,” The poor, hapless senators are not capable of filling out housing forms due to the fact that they too complicated, they don’t own health cards.”

“And yet they are assigned to review complex legislation. Hmm…”


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