September 30, 2016 - 1:21 PM
OTTAWA - Expenses have become a political football on Parliament Hill in recent weeks. Here is a look at some recent cases where taxpayer-funded spending has been called into question:
Health Minister Jane Philpott: She came under fire for her car expenses, including $1,708.84 for travel around her riding in March, $1,994 for being chauffeured to an Assembly of First Nations gathering in Niagara Falls and $3,814 for 20 trips to Toronto's Pearson Airport. She also expensed $520 for a year's membership to Air Canada's executive airport lounges in North America and Europe, $178 for a Nexus border-crossing pass and $202 for a suitcase. She repaid $3,700 in car-service fees and the cost of the lounge card, border pass and suitcase.
Environment Minister Catherine McKenna: Her department spent $6,600 on documenting the climate change conference in Paris last fall. She has asked the department to review expenses.
Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan: Spent $1,515.09 for a limo during a two-day trip to California.
Justice Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould: Spent $222 for two limo rides from Ottawa's airport to her Ottawa office.
Democratic Reform Minister Maryam Monsef: Spent $145.09 on a limo ride between Toronto's Pearson airport and her riding in Peterborough, Ont.
Gerald Butts: The principal secretary to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau filed for $126,669 in expenses for a move to Ottawa from Toronto. He later said he would repay $20,299.
Katie Telford: The prime minister's chief of staff charged $80,382 for her move to Ottawa. She later said she would repay $23,373.
Interim Conservative leader Rona Ambrose: A media report flagged $9,692 in secondary residence expenses that included a period earlier this year when Ambrose was living at Stornoway, the Opposition leader's taxpayer-provided residence. The Conservatives say the expenses were actually incurred last fall, and included $4,000 to break the lease at the condo where she used to live in Ottawa.
News from © The Canadian Press, 2016