TRURO, N.S. — Rookie MP Lenore Zann spent $5,000 in taxpayer dollars sending Christmas cards to approximately 45,000 constituents.
While she is not alone in the practice, some constituents question whether that expenditure is a responsible one in today’s economic climate.
“The money can probably go towards something more necessary, such as the food bank, just as an example,” said Valley resident Julie Desgagne.
Jeff Winter of Truro agreed.
“It’s probably money better spent elsewhere. It should be out of their pockets, not the taxpayers,” he said.
Likewise, for Andrea Gould of Truro, who added she wasn’t even sure if she had received a card. If she did, Gould said she hadn’t seen it.
“I may have received one, I don’t recall, but my husband might have,” she said. “I’m not a fan of that at all, really. I don’t think too many people receive these and think, ‘oh my God, I got a card’. It’s a little overrated.”
While Chris Elgee suggested it would be fine to send a limited number of cards, he did not support the concept of mass mailouts.
“I think it’d be alright within a town centre community,” he said. “I don’t know about sending one to every single private resident. It’d be a bit of a waste of money and resources.”
Other constituents the Truro News spoke with, however, took a kinder view.
“It’s a minimal cost of taxpayers’ money, insignificant,” said Rodney Morgan. “People are so separated by everything, but it’s a nice little personal touch.”
Gary MacKenzie of Truro, who did not receive a card, said he does not have an issue with the practice.
“I’m more concerned about how politicians run the government.”
Jaime Oudemans of Salmon River, who also received a card, said she was not concerned and felt the picture of Zann with her parents in front of the Parliament Buildings was “a cute little family shot.”
"I didn’t really think about it before, to be honest,” she said. “Politicians all do cards, although I don’t think I got one from Province House this year.”
Krista Lake Settle of Truro, who did not receive a card, said she had mixed feelings about the issue.
“If it’s from the constituency, it’s ultimately the federal government who pays,” she said. “The Scot in me says it’s unnecessary but I appreciate it. It’s a nice gesture.”
Zann, elected as the Cumberland-Colchester MP in October, defended the expenditure and said the custom of mailing Christmas cards and other correspondence is routine for MPs.
“As a member of parliament, we are encouraged to stay in touch with our constituents through regular mailings, since anything we send via Canada Post is free and the only thing we have to pay for out of our annual budget is printing,” she said, in a texted response to a media inquiry.
She said her office mailed approximately 45,000 cards just before Christmas, with a production cost of 11 cents each, for a total expense of $5,000.
Zann said the picture of herself and her parents on the card’s front, as well as the inside shot of her swearing-in ceremony, were taken with an iPhone at no extra expense. And she said the cards were printed on recycled paper to further cut costs.
The MP said she also sends sympathy cards to families when loved ones pass away, as well as certificates congratulating constituents who do something noteworthy in their communities.
“Most people appreciate hearing from their elected representatives, especially at Christmas,” said Zann, who served as the Truro area MLA for the previous 10 years. Many elected officials send cards.”
The office of Sean Fraser, MP for Central Nova, confirmed that Christmas cards were sent to constituents in that riding. Savannah DeWolfe, Fraser’s executive assistant in Ottawa, said she did not know the production and mailing costs incurred.
DeWolfe said MPs are provided the option of accessing up to 2,000, full-colour photograph cards or two-colour personalized cards with envelopes.
Members may choose to work with parliament’s Printing and Mailing Services or with an external supplier of their choice to design and print their own personalized cards.
“The costs for additional cards and envelopes, beyond the 2,000 limit, will be charged to the member’s annual envelope allocation and then, if necessary, to the member’s office budget,” DeWolfe said in an emailed response.
JoEllen d’Entremont, a staff member for newly-elected West Nova MP Chris d’Entremont (no relation), said cards normally would have been sent but there was not enough time following the fall election to complete the design and proof-reading process prior to a pre-Christmas mailout.
She said d’Entremont’s office was mailing out a calendar to constituents in January, as well as newsletters throughout the year but she was unsure of the number of calendars or costs associated with those mailouts.
