Senator of the week: Rod Zimmer - Most expensive party crony

December 4, 2009

Taxpayers saved the Conservative and Liberal parties over $1.5 million last year by helping party strategists and fundraisers like Liberal Rod Zimmer to part-time jobs with full-time pay in Canada’s Senate.

Zimmer, who according to one source “has been raising funds for the Liberals since Pierre Trudeau's days,” racked up $153,000 in travel and $149,000 in telephone use, mail, printing and staff costs last year. But having been fortunately appointed to the Senate by Paul Martin, his costs are borne by taxpayers, instead of the party he works for.

But keeping backroom party cronies perpetually on the public payroll is among the most revered traditions of the Conservative and Liberal parties. From their plush Senate offices, Senators are free to organize fundraisers, recruit candidates and spin media, unencumbered by constituents, constituency offices or trivial concerns like re-election.

While Zimmer had by far the highest tab among party cronies, he is joined in the top 10 by former Liberal Party National Director Terry Mercer who charged $5,800 per day of work at the Senate, former journalist Mike Duffy, who rang-up $101,000 in travel and other costs as Stephen Harper’s most enthusiastic television and email spokesperson, and others.

This summer, Stephen Harper also named national campaign manager Doug Finley and party president Don Plett to the Senate for their service to the Conservative Party. Their spending will be disclosed next fall.

Senator	Political Affiliation	Appointed by	Days Attended in Fiscal 2008-09	Travel Expenses (FY 08-09)	Office Expenses (FY 08-09)	Total Expenses (FY 08-09)	Expenses per days attended (in $)
Zimmer, Rod A. A.	Lib	Martin	48	153,200	149,245	302,445	6,300.94
Mercer, Terry M.	Lib.	Chrétien	57	178,427	148,666	327,093	5,738.47
Duffy, Michael	CPC	Harper	22	44,434	56,414	100,848	4,584.00
Hervieux-Payette, Céline	Lib.	Chrétien	56	54,802	150,518	205,320	3,666.43
Smith, David P.	Lib.	Chrétien	55	48,698	128,853	177,551	3,228.20
Angus, W. David	CPC	Mulroney	53	35,970	118,855	154,825	2,921.23
Gerstein, Irving	CPC	Harper	23	16,757	28,072	44,829	1,949.09
Fortier, Michael	CPC	Harper	26	16,469	28,735	45,204	1,738.62
Housakos, Leo	CPC	Harper	23	7,661	18,559	26,220	1,140.00
LeBreton, Marjory	CPC	Mulroney	61	11,352	55,803	67,155	1,100.90

“Senator of the Week” is a project by New Democrats to highlight the dubious achievements of Canada’s 105 unelected and unaccountable Senators.

Stephen Harper vowed he “will not name appointed people to the Senate.” Yet as Prime Minister he has broken that promise – 29 times and counting. As a result, Canadians are paying 220 percent more for Senators that Harper once called “a relic of the 19th century.””