Premier Notley’s team of 13 to Paris cost $71,000
Travel expenses for an Alberta delegation to the Paris climate change conference was nearly $71,000 according to details posted Thursday online.
The delegation included Premier Rachel Notley, four members of her staff plus three for security, Environment Minister Shannon Phillips and four of her staff for a total of 13.
They flew economy class at $1020.91 per person and paid $297.94 per night for hotel accommodation, a spokesperson for the premier’s office said.
“Where is the value and effectiveness as a result of this trip,” said Drew Barnes Wildrose MLA for Cypress-Medicine Hat. “This money came from hardearned tax dollars or those who have no job.”
Airfares and ground transportation cost $20,823, accommodation $28,612, meals $5,962, cell phones, passport and visa fees, medical inoculations and meeting rooms $5,404 and for translations, interpreter fees, publications, shipping and gifts $5,975 for a grand total of $70,777.63.
Notley travelled between Nov. 28 2015 and Dec. 2 2015 while Phillips travelled from Dec. 4 to 10.
Compared to travel expenses that made headlines in the past these expenses are relatively low but considering the economic climate the decision to include 13 people is an issue, said Paige MacPherson, Alberta director Canadian Taxpayers Federation.
“A bakers dozen of our government staffers went on a pretty sweet trip on the tax payers’ dime to Paris for a glorified photo opportunity. It is just not necessary,” said MacPherson, noting the carbon emmissions as well. “This government has a spending problem.” A four-day trip to Germany and Poland for Medicine Hat’s MLA Rob Renner and one staff member in December 2008 cost $20,086. Air travel for Renner and his staff member was $9,208.70 and accommodation for the four-day period was $8,464.
It took the premier’s office three months to post the information online. In May 2004, the Alberta government adopted a new policy requiring international travel expenses to be posted within two months of the date of return after travel.
Macpherson says it comes down to priorities. Sending a delegation of 13 to Paris was a priority for the government but it was obviously not a priority to be open and transparent about the cost with Albertans, said MacPherson.