I wish I could make $512,000 just for quitting my job...

I never thought I'd agree with the Wildrose Party about anything, but they are correct in saying that the current MLA severance in Alberta is ridiculous (read Wildrose story here)! The payout is so ridiculous in fact, that it made the news in Vancouver which just goes to show that Albertans need to wake up and do something about this (read Vancouver Sun article here). I don't know about you, but every time I've quit a job, I've been thanked for my service and sent on my merry way and have certainly not ever made an extra chunk of cash just for quitting.

Now, don't get me wrong, I've been a civil servant and I think it is important to pay government workers fairly and competitively so you have good people running your municipality or province or country, etc. Having said that, we had to account for every penny we ever spent and I can't imagine that the citizens of my municipality would have agreed with me receiving a few thousand extra when I quit!

Click on the links below to read more about these extravagent payouts:

• http://www.calgarysun.com/2012/03/06/alberta-mlas-defend-lavish-retirement-payouts
• http://www.calgaryherald.com/business/Braid+Taxpayers+federation+helps+expose+seamy+system+retirement+payouts/5833264/story.html
• http://www.canada.com/opinion/editorials/Editorial+Gold+plated+severances+must/6260753/story.html

Click on the link below to tell the current government what you think about this:

• http://alberta.ca/contact.cfm

Or, contact your own MLA to tell them what you think:

• http://alberta.ca/albertaFiles/includes/DirectorySearch/search.cfm