If there were disclosure of salaries paid to head office staff, there would be no question as to whether administrative people are overpaid. We could see for ourselves. Maybe some of them are worth $200 000+, but to me that would be high, especially when local shelter managers are so badly paid. We know that BC SPCA CEO Douglas Brimacombe earned $132,000 + unknown benefits in 2001, and that there are salary raises coming into effect very soon, possibly retroactive to January 1st.

We also know that Mr. Brimacombe is a believer in openness, accountability and tranparency. In May 2001, he said in a newpaper interview, "We are going to make sure from now on that we are absolutely accountable to the public in everything we do."

However, there is still no disclosure of executive salaries. I have been told in an e-mail from Simon Trevelyan, Provincial Manager, Planned Giving dated May, 7, 2002 that there were three people earning over $100,000 last year. The SPCA refuse to give further details, as they are held to be confidential.

Openness and transparency are real virtues in any group that relies on donations. In the U.S. everybody working for a tax-exempt charity who earns over $50 000 has to be listed on the financial reports made to the government. They are publicly available on the website www.guidestar.org>>.

It is interesting to note that such luminaries in the primate welfare field as Dr. Jane Goodall, Gloria Grow and Dr. Shirley McGreal, incredibly talented people, take no salaries at all- just expenses.