RICK HOWE
Halifax News Net

                 Talk about your excess. The 27 Harper appointees to the Canadian Senate in the past year will, over the life of their appointments, cost taxpayers $177 million. And that doesn't include Mike Duffy's meal tab. The claim comes from an NDP study released yesterday by Sackville-Eastern Shore MP Peter Stoffer. He says Senate travel and office expenses have more than doubled in the last 14 years. The average last year came to about $197,000 per senator. Stoffer thinks the Senate should be abolished. Do I have a seconder for that motion? All in favour say "aye".

                   As tens of thousands of Canadians stood in line the last two weeks waiting for their swine flu shot, comes news of "special" people who've managed to jump the queue. Professional athletes for example were ushered in to their own clinics. Several Toronto Raptors and Maple Leafs players got flu shots, along with members of the Calgary Flames and their families. None are considered to be in the high risk groups spelled out by health officials. Closer to home, members of the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles received their vaccines last Friday, just hours after provincial health officials announced an end to flu shots for everyone and limited the vaccine to those in high risk groups. Meantime, Canadians more deserving of the flu shots have been told to wait because of a vaccine shortage. Something not right there.

                      I have more respect today for Nova Scotia's chief medical officer. Doctor Robert Strang told the Chronicle Herald's editorial board he has not yet received a swine flu shot. Considering his position, Strang could have easily arranged to be immunized, but he says he's not in a high risk group so he's going without for the time being. Strang told the paper he could not justify immunizing himself and have a child or pregnant woman possibly go without. Good for him.

                       I was riveted by the first hand account of the crash of a Cougar helicopter off Newfoundland last March. 17 people died in the accident, most workers heading to an offshore oil rig. 1 man survived and yesterday Robert Decker told his story for the first time. Testifying before an inquiry into offshore safety, Decker said things happened quickly. "Ditching, ditching, ditching", was the pilot's frantic message over the aircraft's PA and seconds later the helicopter hit the water. Decker says he remembers waking up in a submerged chopper. He managed to free himself and escape through a broken window and rise to the surface. With a ruptured vertebrae, dislocated ankle and broken sturnum, he floated in the frigid Atlantic until rescued. Decker says he will not fly to the offshore rigs again. Can't say I blame him. An amazing story of survival.

                      And we knew it was coming, but to wake up this morning to a winter wonderland was still a shock to the system. And me without snow tires yet. I'm sure many commuters were in the same boat this morning. Quebec made it mandatory last winter for all vehicles to be equipped with snow tires. While I haven't been able to find any stats on whether it has resulted in fewer accidents, snow tires will make winter driving safer. Perhaps it's time Nova Scotia followed suit.

                       Have a great weekend. Get involved. And if you're not outraged, you're not paying attention.

                         Rick Howe