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Should we cut former Alberta premier Alison Redford some slack for not showing-up to the legislature?

Ex-prime ministers, former premiers and ousted party leaders are notorious for not showing up for work.

Those politicians — who in many cases are embarrassed out of their chiefly roles — become diffident about coming to their respective parliaments or legislatures to do their duty and represent the views of their constituents.

Such is the case of former Alberta premier Alison Redford.

About a month ago, amid questions about her travel expenses, dwindling poll numbers and a pseudo-caucus mutiny, Redford resigned as premier. She didn't resign as an MLA and continues to earn a whopping annual salary of $134,000.

But, as explained by the National Post, she's been MIA.

"With the exception of a few Twitter comments and one meeting during which she took no questions from media, the former premier has been AWOL for her continuing job as a member of the Legislative Assembly, representing the residents of Calgary-Elbow," the Post notes.

"As of Wednesday afternoon, she had skipped seven consecutive sitting days in the Alberta legislature — if she misses three more, she could face minor financial penalties."

But should we cut her some slack?

After all, it's got to be tough to go from premier, to being pushed aside by your colleagues, to being a backbencher and then actually show-up for work.

[ Related: Premier Redford’s departure could cost Alberta taxpayers $1 million ]

Derek Fildebrandt, the Alberta Director of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, says that he was willing to cut her a bit of slack before but now it's time to either get back to work or resign her seat.

"I don't think anyone would begrudge her for resigning and [forcing] a cost of a byelection," he told Yahoo Canada News, sympathizing with the former premier's difficult predicament.

"I think that would be reasonable. But what would be unreasonable would be for her to continue to collect a very handsome salary from taxpayers and to not show up regularly for her job."

[ Related: Former Alberta premier Alison Redford under fire over new spending allegations ]

Fildebrandt cited the example of former Liberal prime minister Paul Martin who, he says, was pretty much a "no show" in Parliament after he lost the 2006 election to current Prime Minister Stephen Harper.

"If she shows up...once every few weeks to enter her name in the attendance books, that's just not going to cut it. That's not going to be good enough," he said.

Yahoo Canada News did email Ms. Redford's constituency office asking when she would re-appear in the legislature and if she felt it was appropriate to be absent while collecting a salary.

As of press time, we haven't heard back.

But maybe we're being a little insensitive? Should we cut her some more slack?

Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below.

(Photo courtesy of the Canadian Press)

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