A Poem: “Passing The Hat”

 

Elections are over.
It is time to show generosity.

Members of Parliament
may earn $194,600 a year
– within the top five percent of Canadians earners –
and many are walking away
with $90,000 severance

but

losing that job
is more painful
than losing an everyday job
at Bombardier,
Tim Hortons,
or at the General Motors assembly plant
in Oshawa.

The loss affects
the public persona
of these elected officials.
They must vacate their offices fast
and can no longer login to the network.
Even their cellphones are cut off.

Taxpayers get it, pull together
and fund a transition program
to float the ousted members
from the House of Commons
to the civilian world.

$15,000 for every MP.

How else
would these honourable individuals
acquire the skills
to enter the workforce
on their own?

 

By Shai Ben-Shalom

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