where do our tax dollars go?

Generous friends.

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/north/story/2009/10/19/nwt-exec-contracts.html

I was sent a link to this story and feel it's similar to something I wrote a while ago.

http://slinginlingo.blogspot.com/2009/08/gnwt-todd-atco-je-ne-sais-quoi.html

I suppose I didn't go after the story the same way, but it sort of did illustrate the relationships these people have throughout -- and after -- their political lives.

I really am so happy Bob Bromley brought this forward. Outing these sorts of contracts takes real guts, because really Bob doesn't have much to gain from doing this. I'm clearly assuming, but I don't believe he's realistically considering running for a Cabinet position and, no doubt, he will meet Todd and Bell, and their friends, in the near future, who will not be happy these contracts got headlines, especially with the ever-pending federal election.

But these truly are the types of conflicts the Premier should have to justify to the public that foots the bill -- and from his answers, at least in the story, I don't see what exactly the NWT gained by giving Bell $180,000. Some MLAs are frothy in the mouth to oust the Premier and his Cabinet, and we now have to endure the never-ending affair story: a stumble which the Premier clearly does not believe has any bearing on the public perception of his credibility as a leader. I'd be interested to see who else speaks up about these 'gifts,' or if it just gets left at this.

Perhaps the contracts were worth the money and that's how the game is played, but the explanation provided doesn't give much to appease us. If this story proves anything, it's that our leaders are loyal and generous friends.

I'd like to see exactly where this $180,000 wound up. (How many meetings does $180,000 buy exactly?)

"The contract with Mr. Bell, for example — or the Northern Strategy Group, more proper — was one that, because he was very well-connected to the party, and we needed to get established and get our business case in and get as many meetings with the appropriate ministers as possible, it made absolute sense," Roland said.

When asked if his department's contract with Bell fulfilled its purpose, Roland replied, "I think it worked out very good. We got a lot of meetings initially and it served its purpose."

Well I suppose Bell -- and the "Northern Strategy Group" -- was well-connected with the Party. He lost an election under the Conservative banner. The annual salary for a Member of Parliament in Canada is $155,400. Bell lost the election and made more money than Bevington... and in just a few months.

I really had no idea how lucrative losing could be.

(Note: I'm looking to start my own Northern Strategy Group. Anyone want to join? We can talk about how we need devolution, and more sustainable communities, and increased oil and gas development but we'd never do anything but eat and drink and talk amongst ourselves or to our friends.)

gnwt? john todd? atco? i'm dizzy? je ne sais quoi?

Even though he retired from territorial politics nearly 10 years ago, John Todd still has the ear of many in the North and Ottawa, say those who have hired him as a consultant.

And while he has worked for the territorial government and ATCO in the past year, both parties say he is not involved in ATCO's proposal to merge with the government-owned Northwest Territories Power Corporation.

"I don't think he'll be involved in negotiations," said Jerome Babyn, ATCO spokesperson, who acknowledged Todd had worked for the company off-and-on for a number of years.

However, Babyn said Todd could be useful because of his ties to the North.

"Certainly, Mr. Todd, wherever he has contacts with people, if he can be helpful in that regard, then certainly we will ask him to introduce us to certain people if need be," said Babyn.

In the past year and a half, Todd has provided consulting advice to cabinet members, like Premier Floyd Roland and Finance Minister Michael Miltenberger.

Since taking over as Premier, Floyd Roland has flown to Edmonton at least twice for "strategic advisors" meetings with Todd.

John Todd Holdings Inc. received $72,000 from the government during the 2007-08 fiscal year.

Roland said he's been meeting with Todd since he was finance minister in the 15th Legislative Assembly.

"The fact that he's been in government in the past, he's made his connections with key people in the system," said Roland.

"When it comes to the work that we had him do, there are times that when he's working with other companies, we've asked him to set up meetings for us and he's done that."

He said Todd was instrumental in saving the government $48 million during the 15th assembly, by setting up meetings in Ottawa, to argue the federal government not adjust its level of financing to the territory on the NWT.

"We've used him for other work and opening doors initially whether in Ottawa or Calgary," he said.

Roland said the government has used Todd's services since it began looking at the ATCO proposal, but he said Todd hasn't been hired to do any work relating to the power corporation.

"Specifically to our own initiative, we have our own team put together to do our reviews," he said.

"It's incumbent on us. We know who he works for."

When contacted May 19, Todd said he had to double-check with ATCO before commenting on his work with the company.

He did not return subsequent phone calls.

Babyn said Todd's experience in the North allows him to introduce ATCO to key influential customers in the North – specifically in the Eastern Arctic with the ATCO Frontec division of the company.

He said ATCO officials still have not sat down with the government for substantive negotiations.

"We've just really had some high-level, really just touch base stuff on that," he said, adding the company's proposal will likely be looked at following the government's energy and power corporation reviews.

Babyn said in April the proposal was basically a starting point for the government and ATCO to meet and discuss what a partnership or merger might look like.

The GNWT's review team reported to Roland with an initial look at the proposal May 25. The document spells out what was discussed and what will be looked at in future meetings.