Democracy Gone Astray

Democracy, being a human construct, needs to be thought of as directionality rather than an object. As such, to understand it requires not so much a description of existing structures and/or other related phenomena but a declaration of intentionality.
This blog aims at creating labeled lists of published infringements of such intentionality, of points in time where democracy strays from its intended directionality. In addition to outright infringements, this blog also collects important contemporary information and/or discussions that impact our socio-political landscape.

All the posts here were published in the electronic media – main-stream as well as fringe, and maintain links to the original texts.

[NOTE: Due to changes I haven't caught on time in the blogging software, all of the 'Original Article' links were nullified between September 11, 2012 and December 11, 2012. My apologies.]

Saturday, March 24, 2012

ORNGE: Salaries of 50 executives stay secret

More than 50 ORNGE high-earners did not make Friday’s Sunshine List because lawyers told Health Minister Deb Matthews she did not have the right to disclose their names.

An ongoing Star investigation estimates the total annual undisclosed salaries of these executives at $8 million.

After the Star asked ORNGE and the health ministry Thursday why virtually none of ORNGE’s high earners — including founder Dr. Chris Mazza — would be on the list, health minister Deb Matthews called ORNGE.

“I spoke with (interim boss) Ron McKerlie Friday morning and asked him to see if people would disclose their salaries voluntarily,” Matthews said.

By 6:30 p.m. Friday, 16 employees, including their communication’s boss, had voluntarily disclosed on the ORNGE website. Their salaries total roughly $2.5 million, but the high earners are still missing.

One salary not on the list was Mazza’s. The Star revealed in December that he brought in $1.4 million in 2010. His 2011 salary was higher, sources say, and was bumped up further by loans and advances totalling $1.2 million. ORNGE has asked for the money back. Mazza was not asked by ORNGE or the province to disclose his salary.

“I don’t know where he is,” Matthews said.


Human resources officials at ORNGE spent the day asking executives, current and mostly past, if they would give permission to release their 2011 salaries. Because they were paid by one of ORNGE’s many for-profit companies, lawyers told the ministry it could not reveal their salaries.

Matthews likened the situation to long-term care homes that are funded by the province. Executives at those for-profit firms are not covered by the salary disclosure law either.

Among those top executives not yet disclosed (all have left ORNGE) are:

Former ORNGE aviation chief Rick Potter (the fellow who said he had an MBA and did not); former executive vice-president Maria Renzella; Kelly Long (Mazza’s girlfriend, the former water ski instructor who rose to the rank of vice-president); John Mackenzie (a “contractor” with the title of chief operating officer, ORNGE International); former vice-president Rhoda Beecher (she was paid as a consultant); Luis Navas (executive at ORNGE Global); and at least four board members, including chairman Rainer Beltzner.

Among the 16 who voluntarily disclosed (all still at ORNGE) are: vice-president finance Bruce Tavender ($286,127 in salary and taxable benefits); vice-president aviation James Feeley ($276,775 in salary and benefits); Jennifer Tracey, association vice-president corporate communications ($175,166 salary and benefits); and Lisa Kirbie, director of government relations ($143,924 salary and benefits).

Original Article
Source: Star
Author: Kevin Donovan

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