MPs should take a pay cut during pandemic
If Members of Parliament are not sitting in the House of Commons, why then are they receiving full pay during COVID-19? We’re often told of the gruelling travel schedules for MPs, especially those from Western Canada and remote areas. For the average Canadian still fortunate to be working, many have had their hours and pay significantly reduced. If MPs of all political stripes wanted to show unity and empathy for average Canadians, they would follow New Zealand’s lead and unanimously agree to a 25% pay cut for the year. The average MP’s wage is $180,000 and a pension (after six years of service) that only you and I can dream of. And they wonder why a lot of people don’t vote.
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The “Who Wants to be a Millionaire” coughing scandal is getting its own TV movie. Quiz show scandals are nothing new. Older readers well remember a run of crooked game shows from the 1950s, most famously “Twenty-One,” which was later the topic of the film “Quiz Show,” directed by Robert Redford.
My favourite scandal, which many forget, was “Press Your Luck,” a 1980s show with animated Whammies and even-more obnoxious contestants. A math whiz in his 30s taped episodes at home and memorized the pattern of what was supposed to be a random board.
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I support the idea of closing Bernard Avenue in downtown Kelowna to vehicle traffic for the summer allowing for outdoor patio space and a walkable environment. Sure, it’s going to create some traffic issues, but it’s definitely worth a try. It was suggested several years ago in Penticton by a city employee, whose name now escapes me, for either Lakeshore or Main Street to be pedestrian and cyclist-only. Let’s give it a shot. Kelowna can be the litmus test for the valley.
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People were setting fires, looting, tossing firecrackers and who knows what else and the Minneapolis police arrested a camera crew (on air) from CNN. These were the same law-enforcement geniuses who suffocated an unarmed, handcuffed man to death. Fortunately, the one officer who took a knee was formally charged Friday. I deplore the actions of the protesters, but we have to listen to their message. I’ve always loved the United States. It breaks my heart to see what’s happening there right now on so many fronts. The country needs to heal and it starts with leadership.
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This is the final weekend for British Columbians to take the “Your Story, Our Future” COVID-19 survey which will help the provincial government collect much-needed data. Confidentiality is assured. Reporter Joe Fries and I completed the survey and it took me about 20 minutes. It’s well-presented and user-friendly. Although intended to assist health officials, it was also self-cleansing because it made me stop and reflect on my own actions during the pandemic. Visit: bccdc.ca/covid19survey or phone: 1-833707-1900 between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. There is assistance available in other languages.
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I wish masks were mandatory when I was in high school. I would have had more dates.
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My Penticton office is located directly across the street from Cherry Park Retirement Residence where we’ve been serenaded by local musicians, singing from the street to residents who are seated on their balconies. This week’s performer was Gillian Russell, who in her lifetime has played thousands of gigs, including a nationwide audience on CBC’s “Music Hop Presents Let’s Go,” but never one quite like the balcony series. As always, the crowd loved her.
James Miller is managing editor of the Penticton Herald.