Hand in the Till - What Hand - What Till??

Both daily papers have headlines about a high profile public servant getting caught with his hand in the till. The Auditor General (AG) has examined the books at Corrections Canada (our prison folks) and has found that the inmates previous ombudsman (one Ron Stewart) has been screwing the system.

Billing for days worked when he wasn't there, charging for a day's work after a single call to his cell phone. Cashing out vacation days when he wasn't really on the job to earn them. Getting performance bonus pay - for what? Charging trips, particularly to the cities hosting our annual football championship, the Grey Cup where he was supposedly investigating prisoners claims (but didn't).

Ron Stewart was a football legend here in Ottawa, back when the Ottawa Rough Riders were the best in the Canadian Football League (CFL). He helped Ottawa win the annual championship and set the single game rushing record in his halfback role. I thought he was a great player but hadn't heard about him in many years. Apparently after he retired he was appointed prisoner ombudsman in 1977, a position which pays up to $ 143,000 plus bonus. He held that post for 26 years until retiring in 2003.

Retiring - retiring from what? A life of leisure where he spent months at an island cottage doing who knows what on the taxpayers tab. To their credit insiders in the department have blown the whistle with the AG who has looked at the last 6 years of Mr. Stewart's reign. In her report delivered yesterday Sheila Fraser listed the litany of excess' attributed to Mr. Stewart. She has also turned over the file to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) to investigate for possible criminal charges and to obtain the ill-gotten funds from Mr. Stewart.

Let's hope that this problem is an isolated one, I for one don't believe all public servants are out to screw the system. Also let's hope that this gives other public servants the courage to speak up when they see wrongdoings or inappropriate behaviour.

Finally let me categorically state that Ron Stewart is no relation to me, regardless of the fact we share the same surname.

Mr. Stewart, "Penalty - 20 yards for unsportsmanlike conduct.".

Cheers from the Valley.