Payette doesn’t merit pension
Re: Payette quits, Jan. 22; No more celebrities at Rideau Hall, Chris Selley, Jan. 30; and GG’S treatment disgraceful, Conrad Black, Jan. 30
Contracts are not cast iron. They can be amended and revoked if circumstances merit. Julie Payette does not deserve the pension. Wrong-doing of a systematic, corrosive nature ought never be rewarded with a preposterous pension. This is an accident of law. It is not a law of nature. If Payette truly believes in natural justice, then this is the only conclusion to be made; the letter of the law ought not trump the spirit of the law.
Thomas Anderson, Calgary
While the rest of his column is quite accurate, I cannot say that I share Chris Selley’s optimistic conclusion when he claims that “the nation will thank Justin Trudeau” if he appoints a well-meaning, earnest, unambitious governor general. After all, prime minister Stephen Harper did so with GG david Johnston and Canada thanked Harper by tossing him out of the job; replacing him, as Selley notes, with someone who has nothing but terrible symbolic gestures to offer.
Something tells me that the electorate is far more fickle than Selley gives them credit.
Tim Harkema, Calgary
After wading through his weighty words, I usually enjoy Conrad black’s columns. However, his past column indicates he considers himself royalty when he aligns himself with former governor general Julie Payette against “a gaggle of grumpy stenographers.” That’s how he refers to the staff who were allegedly abused by Payette during the past three years. We may not expect relevance nor industriousness from our governor general but, as the Queen’s representative in Canada, we definitely expect politeness, honesty and civility.
Ed Caraher, Vancouver
Notwithstanding Conrad black’s fine history of governors general and his intriguing ideas for future change, his efforts to shore up a badly foundering Julie Payette miss the mark. Mme. Payette’s behaviour is egregiously unacceptable in Canada today.
Stephen Cohen, Westmount, Que.