Knob Award #2: Fletcher takes MPI to court - yet again

He's tried several times to sue MPI for money, always failing. Yet he keeps wasting taxpayers money trying again.

And you gotta love his reason for why he feels he's being "discriminated against". What an ass! And he's the guy responsible for Democratic Reform.
http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/canada/breakingnews/35069619.html

A federal cabinet minister paralyzed after a car accident is taking his battle against Manitoba public insurance to the Supreme Court.
Steven Fletcher, the Conservative minister of state for democratic renewal, says the province's $3,000 monthly limit doesn't allow him to lead an active life.
The limit doesn't even begin to cover a health attendant Fletcher needs 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
An appeal court judge recently denied Fletcher the right to take his case before the Manitoba Court of Appeal.
Fletcher's lawyer Sidney Green says they will continue the fight to the Supreme Court of Canada.
He says Fletcher is being discriminated against because of his political affiliation.

That's what lawyers do eh? The problem here is $3000 monthly is pretty much useless. How does MPI justify such a piddly amount? We buy insurance to protect us in just these cases. No fault might well be the way to go but the idiots that set the payouts need to give their heads a shake.

oh for christs sake.. yeah its because of his political offiliation. nothing to do with the fact that the limit is the limit
I bet.... he would have lost the most recent election if this was public before.

Deank wrote:oh for christs sake.. yeah its because of his political offiliation. nothing to do with the fact that the limit is the limit
I bet.... he would have lost the most recent election if this was public before.

The sad thing is that this has mae the news before. The problem is that the electorate is ignorant to how much a power-tripping ass Fletcher is.

For example, do you know of his days as UMSU president? (Further, isn't it ironic for a Conservative to be president of a union?)

grumpy old man wrote:That's what lawyers do eh? The problem here is $3000 monthly is pretty much useless. How does MPI justify such a piddly amount? We buy insurance to protect us in just these cases. No fault might well be the way to go but the idiots that set the payouts need to give their heads a shake.

As far as I understand, $3000 monthly is over and above his salary. That's some pretty sweet coin.
His previous antics were something to the effect of him wanting two personal servants instead of one, because he was so busy as a politician that one wasn't enough.

I don't think he is being a knob. I happen to have a friend who is also disabled, he was the only one wearing a seatbelt in the car...everyone else walked away he wasn't as lucky. MPI gives him barely enough to help...it's sad. He needs 24 hour care.

Tell me StBPegger, why do we pay insurance? This accident happened long before he became a cabinet minister. Of course those who lean left would consider his reasoning to be that of an ass.

StBPegger wrote:

grumpy old man wrote:That's what lawyers do eh? The problem here is $3000 monthly is pretty much useless. How does MPI justify such a piddly amount? We buy insurance to protect us in just these cases. No fault might well be the way to go but the idiots that set the payouts need to give their heads a shake.

As far as I understand, $3000 monthly is over and above his salary. That's some pretty sweet coin.
His previous antics were something to the effect of him wanting two personal servants instead of one, because he was so busy as a politician that one wasn't enough.

Pretty sweet coin??? I would think having use of your body would be worth way more than that!!!! My God, give your head a shake.

So Goth, you find Fletcher's argument that he's getting discriminated because he's a C reasonable?

Remember, he got denied his claim before he became a politician, so where's the discrimination?

And yes, I pay insurance for a reasonable payout.

StBPegger wrote:So Goth, you find Fletcher's argument that he's getting discriminated because he's a C reasonable?

Remember, he got denied his claim before he became a politician, so where's the discrimination?

And yes, I pay insurance for a reasonable payout.

Yes I find it reasonable....I recall reading that he was also a conservative before the accident....something at university...I would have to look it up. Whether or not he is being discriminated against is not the point...the point is he is not getting enough to live on. I know this for a fact!!!! I have a friend in the same boat.....some on welfare with a ton of kids receive more cash. Pretty F@^king sad if you ask me.

yeah he recieves a considerable chunk of compensation for lost salary too ( odd though considering he is actually employed ) the 3000 is over and above that .
and from past attempts it was because he is a MP that he wants more because the 3K is not enough for his servants while he is a MP, as far as I know MPI in fact no insurance company.. increases and decreases its insurance payments to you for jobs you start and quit after the original settlement.
How much this lawyer costing him for all these attempts? Far more then his servants would cost him I would hazard a guess.

I guess we need all the facts. If he needs care 24/7 then $3k will not cut it in any way shape of form. If he needs extra coin to "work" then it should be made available to him. Ditto what he needs to live (special vans, housing...).

Now, where do we draw the line to allow him the cost of duplicating all these costs in Ottawa because that is where his job takes him? I suggest that is too much. If I KNOWINGLY take a job that increases my costs I do so knowing I and I alone are on the hook for them. That or his employer.

Lastly, discrimination? Not fricken likely. MPI would not want to open that can of worms. They are not THAT stupid.

Heh heh heh

grumpy old man wrote:

Lastly, discrimination? Not fricken likely. MPI would not want to open that can of worms. They are not THAT stupid.

Heh heh heh

Are you sure about that???

StBPegger wrote:

grumpy old man wrote:That's what lawyers do eh? The problem here is $3000 monthly is pretty much useless. How does MPI justify such a piddly amount? We buy insurance to protect us in just these cases. No fault might well be the way to go but the idiots that set the payouts need to give their heads a shake.

As far as I understand, $3000 monthly is over and above his salary. That's some pretty sweet coin.
His previous antics were something to the effect of him wanting two personal servants instead of one, because he was so busy as a politician that one wasn't enough.

StB. I think you are missing the point.

The point is that the state run MPI has an obligation to care for people who are insured by them. It matters not who becomes a quadriplegic Mr Fletcher, you, me, whoever. Mr Fletcher can not use his legs, his arms, his back, his sexual organs, he needs someone to feed him and to wipe his ass. He could be like many many other quads and sit in institutions waiting for death.

If Mr Fletcher had the right to pick and choose where he purchased auto insurance then it would be his tough luck if he didn't get enough coverage. But we in Soviet-Manitoba do not have that right. We do what Big Brother tells us and he tells us we can only use MPI. Due to Mr. Fletchers injuries and subsequent disability he requires a round the clock health care assistant. He paid for the insurance, and in order to participate in society fully, MPI should pay. If not then the MPI act should be struck down immediately and allow us to purchase private insurance.

Mr Fletcher, IMHO, is being discriminated against by The Government of Manitoba and its Subsidiary MPI. Just because he is a MP and makes good coin, does he not deserve to be treated like a human, like the rest of us? Should he be forced to pay out of his own pocket? I know I would trade all the money in the world for full use of my body, wouldn't you?

"Just because he is a MP and makes good coin, does he not deserve to be treated like a human, like the rest of us?"
Just because he is an MP does he deserve to be treated better?
Thats what he is asking for. To be treated better then the average Manitoban in the same situation, just because he is an MP.

I'm still undecided, but this was Mr. Fletcher's argument in 2001:

mod note: link removed. gom

And this was MPI's response:
http://www.mpi.mb.ca/english/newsroom/articles/Other/le_mb_jan31.html

Deank wrote:"Just because he is a MP and makes good coin, does he not deserve to be treated like a human, like the rest of us?"
Just because he is an MP does he deserve to be treated better?
Thats what he is asking for. To be treated better then the average Manitoban in the same situation, just because he is an MP.

NO, he is asking to be treated like a guy who is a Quadriplegic and wants to be be a part of society and to be active in this society.

Anyhow. If we were allowed a choice in insurance, we could choose our own destiny and things would be different. That is the bottom line.

There should be federal funding for MPs who have special needs. MPI should pay out the same benefit for anyone in similar circumstances, no matter their job.

yeah.. dont click on the link to themanitoban..... tries to install a nice litte virus on your computer.

I read both Fletchers' LTE and MPI's reply. I'd characterize MPI's reply as non-responsive and evasive. It would have been more acceptable had MPI addressed Fletcher's letter point by point.

MPI is a typical government bureaucracy and is not answerable to its customers. They seem to prove that in this matter.

maybe even delete that link from here... post the text perhaps... maybe someone should also tell the manitoban they have been infected.

Deank wrote:yeah.. dont click on the link to themanitoban..... tries to install a nice litte virus on your computer.

Please take GOM's advice and reinstall Windows. Or better yet, get a Mac.

I removed the link. For what it's worth I did not notice a virus (that is AVG did not notice it...).

The money he gets, is the money that is available under the insurance we have. Thats all there is to it.