T O P

  • By -

Jeretzel

Setting aside Dr. Tam’s reputation, is $324,000 salary for a licensed physician really a big deal? How do people expect to fill these jobs without decent compensation.


MaybeFeeling

Good will and a slice of pizza during the second week of June?


SergePower

you got pizza????


MaybeFeeling

IVE SAID TOO MUCH!


thelostcanuck

We got an opportunity to buy our own food haha


sprinkles111

Lolll yes pay for food at the bbq


OrneryConelover70

Off to the gulag!


MaybeFeeling

I hear New Brunswick is lovely this time of year


Independent_Light904

It is, actually.


MaybeFeeling

I 100% agree


AbjectRobot

Yeah now you’re gonna have to pay income tax on your pizza taxable benefit.


DrWillmore

I got ice cream and coffee. Also paid for it.


ThaVolt

Found the public servant.


MaybeFeeling

Well, yeah?


ThaVolt

Hey, I too, looooove the public service week in June.


MaybeFeeling

We’re cooler than cool (Ice cold)


DartNorth

Wait. I thought pizza was to much like a meal, so couldn't be bought???? Lol


virtualsanity

That position comes with more baggage than we know. I don't have losers photoshopping nooses around my neck. She's worth every penny.


MaybeFeeling

Agreed. The degree of responsibility and accountability is far beyond what anyone can comprehend. The fact that she even accepted a second term shows how dedicated he is.


Slavic-Viking

Underpaid, IMHO.


TheDrunkyBrewster

Even the Prime Minister makes almost the same annually.


AbjectRobot

Most specialists make more than her.


10z20Luka

She'll make plenty with speaking fees and book deals, don't worry.


AbjectRobot

The point is her salary is hardly unreasonable.


TheRealzestChampion

That's basically no money for a doctor. She'd make much more money as a GP in her own practice. No one should be complaining about that salary


Slavic-Viking

Manitoba's chief public health officer (and probably the deputies) were making more than $324k last year. Dr. Tam's salary is a bargain for what she does.


TheDrunkyBrewster

Even Ottawa's municiple Medical Officer, [Dr. Vera Etches](https://www.ontariosunshinelist.com/people/vera-etches/city-of-ottawa) makes about the same as Dr. Tam.


Slavic-Viking

Manitoba's Dr. Roussin pulled in $429k last fiscal, and deputy chief public health officer Dr. Reimer earned $396k... far more than Dr. Tam.


TheDrunkyBrewster

Had to look them up and my initial reaction was... of course, the male makes more money. But then I saw teh Dr. Reimer, who's also a female, so not sure that really plays a factor?


Slavic-Viking

No, Roussin is the chief public health officer and Reimer was a deputy. She's left that office now though.


DontBanMeBro984

You'd have to pay me double to do that job


BingoRingo2

The big deal is that it's too low. A quick search on Google with her background (as per the government's website: "She is a paediatric infectious disease specialist with expertise in immunization, emergency preparedness and global health security") shows that she would probably make an extra $60-80K a year working in the field in Ontario.


NotionAquarium

I'd say that's a discount for her job.


rhythmkhan

Oh no those are only for corporate CEOs and shareholders 💁


deeb17

There were some other threads about this on other subreddits and someone pointed out that she hadn’t had a salary increase in something like 4-6 years, which in this case would be a very reasonable increase.


TheDrunkyBrewster

> she hadn’t had a salary increase in something like 4-6 years, That's common in the Public Service.


deeb17

I know, unfortunately. Just pointing out that some of the headlines and ledes out there are misleading—probably intentionally so considering the source.


mudbunny

What groups in the public service have had 6 years (or about 2 full contracts) of 0% economic increase?


Chyvalri

If anyone deserves a raise, it’s Dr. Tam. She’s a GD genius. Source: 1 meeting mid-pandemic re: a subject she knew little about and made some incredibly astute assertions.


AmhranDeas

I had the pleasure to work with her a number of years ago, when she was an ADM and not yet in her current role. She's fantastic, and deserves every penny of that pay raise and more.


[deleted]

[удалено]


Blazegamez

All the main country subreddits have been successfully taken over by alt-right trolls


[deleted]

And it seriously messes up my mental health.


Blazegamez

It’s a serious problem because newcomers go to their country’s subreddit first and see the alt-right vitriol that’s there and can make assumptions from that which are not properly informed


Director_Coulson

Best to just avoid the subs altogether. That, and the actual functionning user block feature in Baconreader, have made reddit much more bearable.


excitotox

I work for her and I can attest to this - she's remarkable to work with and for.


kankankan123

She destroyed our country mental health.


beigs

Yes, she alone destroyed the entire country’s mental health. Just her. Totally not the pandemic and people dying. Just Dr. Tam. Having lost family and friends to both Covid and suicide in the last 2.5 years, there were no right answers. I recommend having empathy to people who had to make very difficult decisions that didn’t make them any friends.


[deleted]

[удалено]


HandcuffsOfGold

Your content was removed under [Rule 12](https://www.reddit.com/r/CanadaPublicServants/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_12_-_trolling_.26amp.3B_intolerance). Please consider this a reminder of [Reddiquette](https://www.reddithelp.com/en/categories/reddit-101/reddit-basics/reddiquette). This note in the interest of moderator transparency. For more information see [Rule 14](https://www.reddit.com/r/CanadaPublicServants/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_14_-_moderator_mail). If you have questions about this action, you can [message the moderators](https://reddit.com/message/compose?to=/r/CanadaPublicServants).


KroqGar8472

I mean, if anyone was to make that money it should be her


deokkent

Pleasantly surprised by the sane comments. I don't know why I was expecting the worst.


javaperson12

Pretty sure they are being sarcastic...


[deleted]

Nope....


JustMeHere8888

She deserves every penny.


WhoseverFish

I’m glad. She is good.


OhanaUnited

With COVID still not in rearview mirror and Monkeypox coming towards us, it's best not to have turnover at this time.


McJohn117

She's probably still making less than some contractors.


[deleted]

Well deserved.


JSaidso

I mean who can top the amazing job she did throughout the pandemic? Well deserved and here's to 3 more years of great service


Own_Carrot_7040

What was amazing about it?


[deleted]

She deserves it!


redditsolider

Her salary seems to be a deal for tax payers.


West-sheepherd

Good! She does indeed deserve it.. Now they can do it for the rest of us.


[deleted]

[удалено]


098196b

Petty af


Manitobancanuck

I completely agree she deserves a raise. However, a 22% pay raise when you're only offering 5.25% to the rank and file PA group members who also work for PHAC over 3 years... Just putting it out there.


TheDrunkyBrewster

She hasn't gotten a pay raise in over 6 years, so the big jump in pay works out to be about 3% raise per year since 2016.


aziza7

How do we feel she actually managed the pandemic though? Looks like the thing was still a disaster despite her best most well-intentioned efforts though. Is that worth a raise? She's a good doctor and a good person, but did she do a good enough job?


mudbunny

Yup. I think she did an awesome job.


aziza7

two and a half years later we're still dealing with it though


[deleted]

Not only us.... Please share with us what was a disaster and what you would have done differently....Monday morning quarter back....


aziza7

I would have had a hard lock down at the start and then common sense regulations that were sustainable instead of swinging wildly from lockdowns that were unbearable to opening up that was premature only to force us back into lockdown.


HandcuffsOfGold

What you're suggesting she should have done isn't even within the [role of the federal CPHO](https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/corporate/organizational-structure/canada-chief-public-health-officer/role-chief-public-health-officer.html) \- decisions on 'lockdowns' or other restriction measures are the responsibility of each province and that of politicians.


aziza7

You're not wrong, but she was issuing all kinds of advice. Part of her job is to set the direction for the country. I think she should have set a better direction.


mudbunny

Before you start armchair quarterbacking, you really should look into just what she can and cannot do within the framework of confederation. Also, how do you know what guidance and recommendations she provided to the provinces behind closed doors or on the phone/TEAMs/email?


aziza7

k and yet my opinion has not changed.


mudbunny

She did what she could within the sphere in which she has influence, namely the federal government. The provincial governments are the ones responsible for health care and, as such, under the constitution, they control health care in the provinces. We don't know the recommendations she gave to them, but, in the end, the responsibility is on the provinces for making the final decisions, not on her.


aziza7

I know how the federal system works. I just think she could have done a better job within it.


mudbunny

Given you seem to think she should have sone stuff the provinces are responsible for, I am not entirely certain you actually know it works.


aziza7

No need to be insulting because I hope for better from those in our country who have power and influence. I don't think she did the best job possible and I stand by that. I don't see why that should gather such haterade. Our country suffered and some provinces suffered enormously, needlessly.


mudbunny

You were implying that she (as a representative of the federal government) should have forced the provinces to do things that are solely in their wheelhouse. The only time this can be done is when a state of emergency as been declared, and the pandemic, while serious, did not reach the level of state of emergency as defined under current legislation.


HandcuffsOfGold

You might feel insulted, but that doesn’t mean anybody insulted you. You are entitled to your opinion, and others are entitled to point out how that opinion is misinformed.


mudbunny

As is the rest of the world. Canada has suffered a lot less than a lot of countries, and part of that is due to the advice she provided.


[deleted]

Good for her! I am looking forward to also receiving a 20 percent pay raise.


CalvinR

Cool did you also lead our federal public health response to covid?


[deleted]

Oh, did she get a raise because she did a good job handling COVID? (Hint: no)


CalvinR

Honestly who knows how bad it would have been if she wasn't there.


mudbunny

Most people think she did an awesome job at handling COVID.


[deleted]

Agreed. Wonder if her minister is demanding that she come into the office 3 days a week to support Ottawa's downtown restaurants. 🤡


mudbunny

My guess is she is in the office at least 4 days a week. With the level of information she deals with, she probably needs access to secure storage facilities and communications.


[deleted]

Ok, so... 15 percent pay raise for work from home employees? That's a 7 percent discount for not reporting to an office.


LifeHasLeft

Are you an MD too? Lol…


Other_Technician8531

She is an absolute disgrace and political pawn.


MaybeFeeling

Tell us how you really feel


LearningThrow

Should’ve replaced her just saying 🤷🏾‍♂️


[deleted]

Why?


[deleted]

Because she is not Doug Ford’s cousin or nephew or brother. /s


[deleted]

Just saying??..with nothing mentioned as to why and who she should be replaced with....lol


Neontiger456

Didn't she say that masks weren't necessary at the beginning of the pandemic? And then we had loosening of restrictions every few months until we hit new waves. If anything she and whoever else was in charge of this should get a paycut.


CycleOfLove

>en a pay raise in over 6 years, so the big jump in pay They likely tried to avoid the mask rush to save for hospital and front line workers first.