Hypocrisy is never a good character trait, especially in those who aspire to leadership positions.
Olivia Chow would like you to remember her humble immigrant background and portrays herself as a champion for the poor. She is just as eager for you to forget her history of "double-dipping" at taxpayers' expense. Her current campaign to be elected Mayor of Toronto has been dogged by a reminder that from 1985 - 1990 she lived in a taxpayer supported and subsidized Toronto co-operative apartment called the Hazelburn Co-op. Her family income at the time was approximately $120,000.
There can be no doubt thousands of genuinely poor citizens of Toronto were more deserving of help. So this champion of the poor could not see the inconsistency of what she has always claimed to be and what she actually was.
We call this hypocrisy.
It would not be an exaggeration to suggest Ms. Chow has the same attitude the public is getting thoroughly sick of, namely an attitude of entitlement. How is it that after a mere 6 years as an MP she considers herself worthy of a full Ottawa pension? The question Torontonians need to be asking themselves come election time is whether they can afford or want to give a mayor's salary to someone who believes in free spending, high taxes and an attitude of entitlement.
Olivia's Chow's record tells us something about her true character. The public is looking for the old-fashioned but tried-and-true qualities of honesty, transparency and integrity.
