REDFORD SAYS SORRY

BUT SHE WON’T PAY BACK $45,000 FOR SOUTH AFRICA TRIP

Sorry about the trip. Now here’s a bunch of schools.

That was the gist of Premier Alison Redford’s message Monday. Trips to South Africa, it seems, are very good for Alberta education.

First came Redford’s apology over the $45,000 travel tab for the observance of Nelson Mandela’s death.

This is a novelty. This premier isn’t one for saying either “I apologize” or “I accept responsibility.”

When she does get close to that, it’s usually after backing up step by step. Remember the staged retreat over the no-meet committee fiasco?

Much the same thing happened this time.

Last week, she was disappointed. Her staff did it.

Now we have a full apology for the most casual drop-kick of public money ever to sail out of a premier’s office.

Redford faced intense criticism that extended far beyond the media, deep into the heart of her own party, caucus and even the cabinet.

She had no public defenders among her MLAs. Donors to the party were already saying things like: “You want money? Kidding, right?”

Such things must have propelled her, but finally Redford arrived at what seems to me a genuine apology, with the acknowledgment that she — not her hirelings — bears the responsibility. That was a step she had to take.

It never seemed likely that Redford actually wanted to spend as much as possible for this trip, or that her staff tried to reach for the top on her behalf.

The premier knows the dangers of perceived extravagance. In 2012, she refused a $134,000 pay raise recommended in an MLA compensation report.

The no-meet scandal, which showed that MLAs were getting paid $1,000 a month for membership on a committee that never met or did any work, came close to bringing down the government.

Redford eluded disaster by ending the boondoggle.

What happened with the South Africa trip, I suspect, is that a demanding premier’s needs collided with her harried staff’s desire to please. And nobody stopped to ask about the cost.

That’s not good at all, but at least we can be sure it won’t happen again soon.

Many Albertans will never stop believing she should repay at least part of the money; perhaps a symbolic portion, but big enough to hurt.

Last year, Redford demoted ex-tourism minister Christine Cusanelli after the minister had repaid more than $10,500 in expenses, including fare for her mother and daughter to the London Olympics.

In another memorable travel case, it was revealed back in 1978 that premier Peter Lougheed had accepted free airline tickets for six vacations over several years.

He repaid most of the cost and said he wouldn’t accept any more trips.

Both of those cases involved family, while Redford’s case doesn’t. It’s an important technicality that may or may not help her with the public.

Lougheed cruised on, unimpeded. His two biggest election victories were still ahead of him.

Redford may yet duplicate that feat. But just in case we’re think- ing about South Africa too much ...

Monday brought a huge blurt of school announcements — 11 projects for Calgary alone, while Edmonton got four.

As the opposition instantly noted, the announcements came with no cost estimates, contract details or completion targets for individual schools.

And yet, Redford has created a vast constituency of big-city parents and civic leaders who want those schools built, and will likely vote PC again to make sure it happens.

As for timing, nobody in government will admit that Monday’s rollout was beefed up and popped early to bury those South Africa expense tabs in a cloud of construction dust.

But really ...