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What followed was a vigorous defence by the Liberals of the per diem for Victoria MLAs. Cabinet ministers have important meetings and can’t realistically be expected to go home for lunch, argued Liberal spin doctors at the time. And yet I noted with irony that one of those same Liberal communications people who went to the wall defending Chong in 2010 was also at the Milobar press conference last week now spinning furiously in the opposite direction.

Liberal communications also had the gall to start tweeting attack ads at the NDP, accusing Horgan of being “on the gravy train” with his lunches, equating it to 20 months of bus passes for an ordinary commuter — a rich comparison when you consider the previous Liberal government’s reduction of bus passes for the disabled.

You’d almost forget the Liberals had the controlling votes on the legislative management committee that sets MLA salary and expenses for 16 years while in government. They could have ended the so-called “gravy train” if they’d really wanted, at any time. But they didn’t. They rode it themselves when they had the chance.

There certainly are questionable areas when it comes to MLA expenses. But paying for lunch for cabinet ministers and the premier when the legislature is in session isn’t one of them. Regardless of the party in power, those people are busy. Every minute is booked with briefings or meetings. I’ve been in interviews with ministers where they have to eat and talk at the same time they are so rushed. Taxpayers get a better deal paying for their lunch and keeping them working than they would stalling the business of government so the premier can drive home to eat.