The Harper government wants to investigate how former Liberal ministerial aides landed jobs in the public service over the past decade.This was no 'one-off favour for a friend' deal. The Liberal rot that we all suspected is much worse than anyone could have imagined.
A senior official confirmed yesterday that the Treasury Board and the Public Service Human Resources Management Agency are examining the issue following recent revelations that two former Liberal aides landed "phantom" jobs that gave them free rides into the public service after they lost their political jobs in the January election.
The commission found about 100 public servants joined ministers' offices and went back into the public service -- with no break in service -- over 11 years of the previous Liberal government.And no one is surprised to see "Alfie Gags" fingerprints all over the smoking gun. Is there any sleazy scam these guys weren't willing to pull?
The two cases at the centre of the commission's recent probe were bureaucrats who had taken leave without pay to work in ministers' offices as "exempt staff" -- which means they are exempt from the rules governing all bureaucrats under the Public Service Employment Act.
The commission faced heavy criticism for failing to stop or raise flags about the abuse of the privilege when two of then- Public Works minister Alfonso Gagliano's ministerial aides were parachuted into key public service jobs to run the sponsorship programWho's scary now folks?
Technorati Tags: phantom jobs, Liberal Party, fraud
