I think the prime minister should pay for all costs associated with doing his job. He could take Sundays off, regardless of international crisis or visiting world leaders, in order to personally clean the house top to bottom. Sunday nights he could mow the lawn. For that matter, he should heat the place too – nobody pays my utilities. He should also pay for his own security detail; no more freeloading off the RCMP!
Isn’t it interesting that we expect The prime minister’s spouse to make frequent public appearances, entertain world leaders and take on multiple philanthropic roles for free, yet bristle at the thought she might occasionally receive skilled, security-cleared and vetted hourly child-care support so she can do her unpaid work on behalf of Canada. I don’t hear any fuss about the gardeners, even though none of us has gardening support from our employer. Where’s the gardenergate outrage? Or it’s simply that we as a society don’t value the work that women have traditionally done, often behind the scenes, often without pay or recognition.
If you want the wife of the prime minister to pay her own work-related childcare expenses, you’ll have to start by actually paying her for her work.
Duncan Morris