Hey, Help Yourself!
Ah, human nature - nothing quite like it. Comfort and security are such strange modifiers when it comes to the ethical balance we strain to attain as decent people. When public acclaim or recognition of an individual's particular success or talents strain the ego tolerance of already entitled-feeling individuals there's a recipe for moral decline.
What've we got here? A one-time sport figure whose gamesmanship and exploits in the field garnered him a hugely appreciative sports audience of supporters and admirers. Toss in the admiration and respect of his own team peers and that's a heady mixture indeed for anyone to deal with and come out well balanced.
Still, fame has a way of steering one toward rewards not always deserved nor earned and here we have a now-retired bureaucrat, Ron Stewart, formerly Canada's ombudsman for federal prisoners (former football star) being singled out by Canada's indomitable bulldog Sheila Fraser, as a fraud and a crook. Interesting how one's wrong-doing has a way of catching up; retirement is but a respite and then the poop hits the fan.
On Tuesday, Auditor General Sheila Fraser pointed out to the news media that the 72-year-old Mr. Stewart who had held the office of ombudsman for federal prisoners for the past 26 years - having been re-appointed by successive governments on five different occasions - had over only the last six years of his tenure committed fraud to the tune of a third of a million dollars.
Evidently Mr. Stewart was much given to ease and relaxation, rather loathe to apply himself to the rigours of work life, showing up regularly at the office and actually putting in time and energy to producing work related to his job. Doesn't everyone love a sinecure, after all? This little personal adventure brings being on the public dole to new heights.
His personal interpretation of work time was to absent himself from the office for the entire swath of delectable summer months to his nice little island-cottage getaway where he would be unreachable. Aw, the office could get along without him anyway, and did. And no one really minded, it seemed, because he was so generous with bonuses to staff.
Yes, he billed the government and taxpayers for time not actually worked, along with personal goods, travel and entertainment. Oh yes, the good man saw no reason to take vacations and cashed them out handsomely. Well, a man has to live, after all. And let's be frank, if he could get away with these kinds of shenanigans for 26 years - well, who wouldn't appreciate those opportunities?
His friends feel badly for him, for the unwanted attention. After all, consider the public shame, consider that this man is retired, for heaven's sake! Doesn't a hard working individual deserve some consideration, some privacy and respect in his older years after having worked himself to skin and bones? Some of his friends have characterized him as shy and retiring.
Too shy to place himself in public view right in his office for any length of time; and now he's retired. Give a guy a break!
What've we got here? A one-time sport figure whose gamesmanship and exploits in the field garnered him a hugely appreciative sports audience of supporters and admirers. Toss in the admiration and respect of his own team peers and that's a heady mixture indeed for anyone to deal with and come out well balanced.
Still, fame has a way of steering one toward rewards not always deserved nor earned and here we have a now-retired bureaucrat, Ron Stewart, formerly Canada's ombudsman for federal prisoners (former football star) being singled out by Canada's indomitable bulldog Sheila Fraser, as a fraud and a crook. Interesting how one's wrong-doing has a way of catching up; retirement is but a respite and then the poop hits the fan.
On Tuesday, Auditor General Sheila Fraser pointed out to the news media that the 72-year-old Mr. Stewart who had held the office of ombudsman for federal prisoners for the past 26 years - having been re-appointed by successive governments on five different occasions - had over only the last six years of his tenure committed fraud to the tune of a third of a million dollars.
Evidently Mr. Stewart was much given to ease and relaxation, rather loathe to apply himself to the rigours of work life, showing up regularly at the office and actually putting in time and energy to producing work related to his job. Doesn't everyone love a sinecure, after all? This little personal adventure brings being on the public dole to new heights.
His personal interpretation of work time was to absent himself from the office for the entire swath of delectable summer months to his nice little island-cottage getaway where he would be unreachable. Aw, the office could get along without him anyway, and did. And no one really minded, it seemed, because he was so generous with bonuses to staff.
Yes, he billed the government and taxpayers for time not actually worked, along with personal goods, travel and entertainment. Oh yes, the good man saw no reason to take vacations and cashed them out handsomely. Well, a man has to live, after all. And let's be frank, if he could get away with these kinds of shenanigans for 26 years - well, who wouldn't appreciate those opportunities?
His friends feel badly for him, for the unwanted attention. After all, consider the public shame, consider that this man is retired, for heaven's sake! Doesn't a hard working individual deserve some consideration, some privacy and respect in his older years after having worked himself to skin and bones? Some of his friends have characterized him as shy and retiring.
Too shy to place himself in public view right in his office for any length of time; and now he's retired. Give a guy a break!
posted by Pieface @ 10:36 AM
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