The perquisites of Disneyland-over-the-Rideau!
Good Day Readers:
This is the most comprehensive inventory/expose of parliamentary perqs available to Members of Parliamant and their staff - usually the subject is taboo.
Seems strange there's no heavily subsidized shoeshine/repair or hair stylist service. Couldnt' help but wonder how much these quasi-freebies are worth each year to MPs and staff? Ever noticed the flyers/brochures/mailouts you receive from your Member, the ones that mostly go unread and can be seen scattered on the floors of apartment building lobbies, never make mention of these? Will the $90,000 daily consultants' budget review look at this situation? Probably not.
We truly regret any inconvenience to MPs and staff from temporary closure of the West Block's Parliamentary Liquor Store that has had to be relocated during renovations while asbestos is being removed. If the walk is too far perhaps you can order up a Hill minibus. Wonder how much a good bottle of scotch costs? Is there a limit per "customer?"
Ah yes, life on The Hill is good.
Sincerely,
Clare L. Pieuk
_____________________________________________________
From office outfitting to the Speaker’s Scotch, Parliament comes with perks
Monday, October 10, 2011
Matthew Rowe
In the 1992 movie “The Distinguished Gentleman,” Eddie Murphy plays a Florida con-man who gets elected to Congress purely on name recognition (he shares the same name as the recently deceased incumbent) and quickly sets out to take full advantage of all the perks that Congress has to offer. Hilarity ensues and in the end he chooses to risk everything to do what’s right and possibly discovers the true meaning of Christmas. It’s been a while since I’ve seen it.
In Canada, our Parliamentarians aren’t in the same league as their American cousins when it comes to the privileges of power but that’s not to say that being an MP is without its benefits. The House of Commons spends nearly half-a-billion dollars on its operations each year and you can bet that a good chunk of that money is earmarked for making MPs’ lives just that much nicer.
Take clothing. Being a member of Parliament means presenting a professional image. You are constantly on display, whether in the chamber or on TV. Thankfully the House of Commons has its own dry-cleaning shop located in the Hardy Arcade off of Sparks Street. In addition to low prices for cleaning and general laundry (of which any Hill employee can take advantage), MPs have a designated counter where they can get suits pressed or repaired for free! Better still, once the work is completed the suit is sent by messenger back to your office.
Take clothing. Being a member of Parliament means presenting a professional image. You are constantly on display, whether in the chamber or on TV. Thankfully the House of Commons has its own dry-cleaning shop located in the Hardy Arcade off of Sparks Street. In addition to low prices for cleaning and general laundry (of which any Hill employee can take advantage), MPs have a designated counter where they can get suits pressed or repaired for free!
Better still, once the work is completed the suit is sent by messenger back to your office.
Those messengers are another benefit. The Hill has its own internal mail delivery, of course, but if you need something hand-delivered from A to B you just pick up your phone and someone appears at your door to take your letter/parcel/hilarious gag gift straight to its destination anywhere on the Hill or in downtown Ottawa.
Parking passes for the Hill are another perk with each MP getting prime position (based on where their office is). These passes are transferrable and highly coveted since the staff waiting lists for even the further flung lots stretch on to the horizon. Having a pass also means you can minimize your dealings with the House’s parking operations office, a massive bureaucracy set-up to inform you that there is no extra parking available and to please stop calling during The Price is Right.
Don’t like the way your office is set up? The House of Commons has it’s own interior design team who’ll come and make up a whole new layout ensuring the right mix of banal office furniture and Public Works approved potted plants. Don’t worry about watering the plants though — there’s a guy for that too. Offices with heritage pieces also have the services of a curator. The House even has its own upholstery and woodworking shop where amongst other things they build the chairs for the chamber. Those chairs are actually the only piece of government property that MPs can buy for themselves.
Decorating can be a chore but when you have access to low-cost custom framing services from the newly opened shop in La Promenade Building, it becomes easy to make your walls look great while not blowing the budget. You can order pieces from the House collection as well or even rent from the government’s art bank, although the budget limits for art are quite low so MPs need to be careful they’re not on the hook for any excess.
When you’re feeling hungry a range of culinary options is at your disposal. The cafeterias in every building are pretty good, all things considered, and very reasonably priced. The breakfast special, which rings in at just over $3.50, is probably the cheapest you’ll find anywhere and provides an impressive offering of food. Savvy members know that a complete lunch is also available for free in the government/Opposition lobbies just off the House so drop by even if you’re not on house duty. Your wallet will thank you.
If you have a bit more time to spare, the Parliamentary Restaurant in Centre Block is far more exclusive and boasts exquisite service at prices better than any fine dining establishment in the city. As an MP, you can eat there for lunch and dinner every day the House is sitting (closed for dinner on Friday). The restaurant is also the stand-in for the former Parliamentary Liquor store in West Block (which is closed due to renovations). MPs can order the usual array of booze for their hospitality bars including items exclusive to the Hill, like the Speaker’s Scotch and the Tour de la Paix house wines. If you’re having a party, the House will send up barrels of ice and even a portable bar to make office entertaining that much nicer.
All that rich food and drink can take its toll but thankfully members have their own gym in the Confederation Building, separate from the staff gym to ensure that the fewest people possible can witness the full extent of the damage that Ottawa has wrought on your body. There are also staff masseuses to ease away that tension built up during question period.
Yes, membership has its privileges but be careful not to grow too used to it. After all, this House is not a home and who knows what will happen in four years. Unless of course you’re a senator, in which case laissez les bons temps rouler.
This is the most comprehensive inventory/expose of parliamentary perqs available to Members of Parliamant and their staff - usually the subject is taboo.
Seems strange there's no heavily subsidized shoeshine/repair or hair stylist service. Couldnt' help but wonder how much these quasi-freebies are worth each year to MPs and staff? Ever noticed the flyers/brochures/mailouts you receive from your Member, the ones that mostly go unread and can be seen scattered on the floors of apartment building lobbies, never make mention of these? Will the $90,000 daily consultants' budget review look at this situation? Probably not.
We truly regret any inconvenience to MPs and staff from temporary closure of the West Block's Parliamentary Liquor Store that has had to be relocated during renovations while asbestos is being removed. If the walk is too far perhaps you can order up a Hill minibus. Wonder how much a good bottle of scotch costs? Is there a limit per "customer?"
Ah yes, life on The Hill is good.
Sincerely,
Clare L. Pieuk
_____________________________________________________
From office outfitting to the Speaker’s Scotch, Parliament comes with perksMonday, October 10, 2011
Matthew Rowe
In the 1992 movie “The Distinguished Gentleman,” Eddie Murphy plays a Florida con-man who gets elected to Congress purely on name recognition (he shares the same name as the recently deceased incumbent) and quickly sets out to take full advantage of all the perks that Congress has to offer. Hilarity ensues and in the end he chooses to risk everything to do what’s right and possibly discovers the true meaning of Christmas. It’s been a while since I’ve seen it.
In Canada, our Parliamentarians aren’t in the same league as their American cousins when it comes to the privileges of power but that’s not to say that being an MP is without its benefits. The House of Commons spends nearly half-a-billion dollars on its operations each year and you can bet that a good chunk of that money is earmarked for making MPs’ lives just that much nicer.
Take clothing. Being a member of Parliament means presenting a professional image. You are constantly on display, whether in the chamber or on TV. Thankfully the House of Commons has its own dry-cleaning shop located in the Hardy Arcade off of Sparks Street. In addition to low prices for cleaning and general laundry (of which any Hill employee can take advantage), MPs have a designated counter where they can get suits pressed or repaired for free! Better still, once the work is completed the suit is sent by messenger back to your office.
Take clothing. Being a member of Parliament means presenting a professional image. You are constantly on display, whether in the chamber or on TV. Thankfully the House of Commons has its own dry-cleaning shop located in the Hardy Arcade off of Sparks Street. In addition to low prices for cleaning and general laundry (of which any Hill employee can take advantage), MPs have a designated counter where they can get suits pressed or repaired for free!
Better still, once the work is completed the suit is sent by messenger back to your office.
Those messengers are another benefit. The Hill has its own internal mail delivery, of course, but if you need something hand-delivered from A to B you just pick up your phone and someone appears at your door to take your letter/parcel/hilarious gag gift straight to its destination anywhere on the Hill or in downtown Ottawa.
Parking passes for the Hill are another perk with each MP getting prime position (based on where their office is). These passes are transferrable and highly coveted since the staff waiting lists for even the further flung lots stretch on to the horizon. Having a pass also means you can minimize your dealings with the House’s parking operations office, a massive bureaucracy set-up to inform you that there is no extra parking available and to please stop calling during The Price is Right.
Don’t like the way your office is set up? The House of Commons has it’s own interior design team who’ll come and make up a whole new layout ensuring the right mix of banal office furniture and Public Works approved potted plants. Don’t worry about watering the plants though — there’s a guy for that too. Offices with heritage pieces also have the services of a curator. The House even has its own upholstery and woodworking shop where amongst other things they build the chairs for the chamber. Those chairs are actually the only piece of government property that MPs can buy for themselves.
Decorating can be a chore but when you have access to low-cost custom framing services from the newly opened shop in La Promenade Building, it becomes easy to make your walls look great while not blowing the budget. You can order pieces from the House collection as well or even rent from the government’s art bank, although the budget limits for art are quite low so MPs need to be careful they’re not on the hook for any excess.
When you’re feeling hungry a range of culinary options is at your disposal. The cafeterias in every building are pretty good, all things considered, and very reasonably priced. The breakfast special, which rings in at just over $3.50, is probably the cheapest you’ll find anywhere and provides an impressive offering of food. Savvy members know that a complete lunch is also available for free in the government/Opposition lobbies just off the House so drop by even if you’re not on house duty. Your wallet will thank you.
If you have a bit more time to spare, the Parliamentary Restaurant in Centre Block is far more exclusive and boasts exquisite service at prices better than any fine dining establishment in the city. As an MP, you can eat there for lunch and dinner every day the House is sitting (closed for dinner on Friday). The restaurant is also the stand-in for the former Parliamentary Liquor store in West Block (which is closed due to renovations). MPs can order the usual array of booze for their hospitality bars including items exclusive to the Hill, like the Speaker’s Scotch and the Tour de la Paix house wines. If you’re having a party, the House will send up barrels of ice and even a portable bar to make office entertaining that much nicer.
All that rich food and drink can take its toll but thankfully members have their own gym in the Confederation Building, separate from the staff gym to ensure that the fewest people possible can witness the full extent of the damage that Ottawa has wrought on your body. There are also staff masseuses to ease away that tension built up during question period.
Yes, membership has its privileges but be careful not to grow too used to it. After all, this House is not a home and who knows what will happen in four years. Unless of course you’re a senator, in which case laissez les bons temps rouler.
posted by Clare L. Pieuk at 10:17 AM
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