Asian trip a waste of taxpayer dollars
Quit wasting taxpayer dollars Episode 2. Burnaby council’s trip to South East Asia is costing Burnaby taxpayers over $30,000.
This council continues to amaze me in the way they waste our hard earned tax dollars on junkets to other countries. This year we saw a $6,500 taxpayer funded trip to Arizona and now we are going to be wasting another $30,000 for a trip to China and Taiwan. Council is not using methods like Skype or teleconferencing, at next to nothing cost, to learn about technological innovations. We really don’t need to be there to do the warm and fuzzy with other countries; leave that to the provincial and federal governments. Why don’t we sister more with cities in Canada and the U.S.; we have more in common.
Our Canadian companies are being forgotten. Sarnia, Ont., (Sept 2010) had the world’s largest solar power plant. Why go to Taiwan? We have local companies involved in LED light manufacturing including a Victoria company which is one of the world leaders in this technology. Why go to China? We should not be going on junkets at a high cost to taxpayers, as solar and LED are on our door step. Promote our local companies. Some local partnershipping is occurring, but we have to expand the home grown approach. Charity begins at home.
I have yet to see where the Arizona trip has resulted in a tax reduction to Burnaby taxpayers or other tangible benefits. The focus of their trip, healthcare, education, etc. could have been accomplished here in Canada.
It’s long overdue for our council to eliminate the waste of our tax dollars and adopt a think-smart policy to prevent council from wasting our tax dollars. It’s another junket and another waste of taxpayer money.
Nick Kvenich
Burnaby
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