XPost: can.politics, bc.politics, ont.politics   
   XPost: ott.general   
   From: {~_~}@nyet.ca   
      
     . . .  What with his big nose in a whole lot of foreign governments'   
   affairs, and author of some very unpopular legislations and actions,   
   he's obviously not  very safe without big time protection.   
      
   It seems it's only rightwing governments that need to hide and protect   
   themselves during their terms in office.   
   Same thing happened in BC when the rightwing BC 'Liberals' took power.   
   Their constituency offices were locked down during business hours - as   
   were all the doors of the Legislative Buildings.  Those doors remain   
   locked to the public to this day.   
      
   Harper . . .  you're costing us taxpayers a whole lot of money, just by   
   being you.   
   _____________________________   
      
   Ottawa Citizen March 17, 2014   
      
   2013 Federal Budget   
      
   Costs have doubled for Stephen Harper’s security team since he took office   
      
      
   OTTAWA — The cost of Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s RCMP personal   
   security team has more than doubled since he took office, according to   
   records obtained by the Ottawa Citizen.   
      
   RCMP numbers, obtained by the Citizen under access to information   
   legislation, show the annual operating budget of the Prime Minister   
   Protection Detail (PMPD) has increased 122 per cent between 2006 and   
   2014 — to almost $20 million annually.   
      
   The PMPD is responsible for the security of the prime minister and his   
   family in Canada and abroad, and protecting official residences,   
   including 24 Sussex Drive. Armed RCMP officers, usually wearing suits   
   and dark sunglasses, travel with the prime minister wherever he goes,   
   including on foreign trips.   
      
   When Harper became prime minister in 2006, the annual operating budget   
   for the Prime Minister Protection Detail was approximately $8.8 million.   
      
   During Harper’s eight years in office, the PMPD budget has soared to   
   more than $19.6 million for the current 2013-14 fiscal year ending in a   
   few weeks, according to RCMP figures. Some of the cost increases can be   
   attributed to protecting Harper’s wife, Laureen, and their children, Ben   
   and Rachel.   
      
   Yet, spending on the prime minister’s security team has increased about   
   25 per cent in the last year alone and 60 per cent the last two years,   
   at the same time the government has cut billions of dollars in federal   
   spending and laid off thousands of federal employees.   
      
   The RCMP said Monday that security costs vary from one year to another   
   depending on factors such as threat assessments, type and number of   
   operational requirements, accommodations and fuel.  The operating budget   
   covers salaries (including overtime), training, travel and other costs,   
   RCMP spokeswoman Cpl. Lucy Shorey said in an email.   
      
   The Mounties wouldn’t provide details on how many officers are included   
   on the security team.   
      
   The cost and management of the prime minister’s security detail have   
   generated significant controversy in recent years.   
      
   Taxpayers forked out more than $1 million for the government to ship the   
   prime minister’s armour-plated limousines to India for Harper’s official   
   visit to the country in November 2012.   
   ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^   
   ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^   
   The RCMP used a Canadian Forces CC-177 Globemaster military transport   
   aircraft to fly the vehicles to India.   
      
   Harper and his government were on the defensive for days over why they   
   didn’t simply use vehicles offered by the Indian government.   
      
   The hefty cost was included in the security team’s annual operating budget.   
      
   The official Opposition NDP argued that shipping the vehicles to India   
   was an abuse of taxpayer dollars, but the Conservative government said   
   an RCMP “threat assessment” determined there were no “appropriate   
   vehicles” available in India.   
      
   In another controversy, the former Mountie who headed Harper’s personal   
   security for several years faced complaints that his tough leadership   
   style had created an improper workplace, as he took steps to improve the   
   unit’s performance and security standards.   
      
   Former RCMP Supt. Bruno Saccomani — in charge of the prime minister’s   
   security detail from 2009 to 2013 — faced accusations from some within   
   his unit that he was a domineering boss who created a workplace   
   environment in which some members of the team felt intimidated.   
      
   However, Harper held Saccomani in high regard for how he strengthened   
   the security detail in recent years into a more modern unit with   
   better-trained RCMP officers, more funding and better protective equipment.   
      
   Harper appointed Saccomani ambassador to Jordan last year.   
                                  ___________________   
      
   Annual operating budget for the Prime Minister Protection Detail:   
      
   2005-06: $8.8 million   
      
   2006-07: $9.1 million   
      
   2007-08: $9.8 million   
      
   2008-09: $14.4 million   
      
   2009-10: $11.8 million   
      
   2010-11: $14.8 million   
      
   2011-12: $12.2 million   
      
   2012-13: $15.8 million   
      
   2013-14: $19.6 million   
      
   - Source: RCMP   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)