Originally Posted by
sawbill
Straggle, the google comment wasn't directed to you but to JB. I 'm certainly not naïve about why MNR cuts occurred. I worked there for 30 plus years through the best and worst of times. Whether the government of the day cares or not about the environment is not the issue. The issue is where will the majority of the public accept cuts to services when those cuts are an absolute. Save a few trees or educate the kids? Provide fishing/hunting opportunities for a few thousand outdoorsmen or pay to repair/replace obsolete infrastructure?
Back in the early 80's MOE hired a pile of inspectors to monitor, regulate and enforce our environmental laws. Where are they now? All gone because of budget constraints and those constraints translates directly to perceived lucrative job security--which is what we're discussing here. That and pensions.
The public are demanding cuts to the public service. One way to reach that objective is to contract out and/or privatize. That way the public doesn't pay a salary for 12 months for snowplow operators. You're saying we're getting poorer service from these contractors (the hwys aren't as safe anymore). When the city plowed our streets, complaints were minimal. Now its contractors and the work isn't up to snuff. But the city is saving a bundle. So, which do you want?
You're all saying you want what is best for your personal situation. Better roads. Better education. But your priorities are not my priorities.
JBen, my rant has nothing to do with MNR but the perception many here have that all government has job security and great pension plans. Underworked and overpaid. Any government agency I've dealt with in recent years have gone through nothing but staff cutbacks, privitization of programs, part time contracts and the such. Upper management enjoys the same salaries as whats expected in private industry. If you want to pay peanuts, you get a monkey. If you want quality you gotta pay--same as private industry.
