College presidents at the public trough

Re Massive pay hikes in the works for Ontario

college presidents, Jan. 19 It’s been said that the proposed salary increases of $100,000 for community college presidents, a figure just slightly below the $106,853 maximum salary of full-time professors, may be justified because we want to attract “the best and the brightest.”

This “best and brightest” is a recurring refrain when executives and managers in both the public and private sectors are rewarded with salary increases that are, at best, absurdist fantasies for those who work for them.

And I do have to wonder what, if any, evidence exists supporting the belief that failure to grant these very generous pay increases would result in a decline in the quality and intelligence of applicants for a community college presidency? Michael S. Hume, Toronto

For the hoi polloi, it always becomes a matter of utter amazement at skyscraping executive incomes.

George Brown College is looking to boost is president’s annual pay from

$395,000 to $494,000 — and one wonders at either rate: $925 per day, or $1,350 per day, 365 days a year. Just how much money does one need to get by on, and to enjoy the benefits of success, which I do not begrudge them.

In the corporate realm those figures amount to “peanuts,” where executive emolument climbs into stratospheric millions.

Is there not a more rational method of allocating Canadian wealth, in advancement of education, health, and industry, to the people of Canada who provide it?

After all, they all helped build this nation, and perhaps should be better placed to share in its benefits. Morley S. Wolfe, Brampton

With the growing gap between the very rich and the rest of us being, at least part of the reason for the new populism, the government should immediately quash any raises that are likely to inflame the populace.

Failure to do so shows that this government still doesn’t get it. Harry Coupland, Etobicoke