Senators rack up big bills for airfare

Toronto members could ride Via Rail trains for free, but seldom do

Several senators from Toronto, including a handful appointed by Prime Minister Stephen Harper, each billed taxpayers tens of thousands of dollars to travel back and forth to Parliament from their homes over the past year — even though they could have taken the train for free.

Two recently retired Liberal senators from Toronto, Frank Mahovlich and Vivienne Poy, were at the top of the list for what is labelled “regular travel” — reporting $96,311 and $71,256 respectively in travel expenses from December 2011 to Nov. 30, 2012.

Don Meredith, who unsuccessfully ran for the Conservatives in a 2008 Toronto byelection that sent Liberal Bob Rae to the House of Commons, led all still-active Ontario senators with $59,743 in regular travel expenses for the last year.

“Regular travel” is basically defined as travel between a senator’s home and Ottawa and can include family or dependants. It does not include other travel on parliamentary business that a senator may do.

Mahovlich, Poy and Meredith could not be reached for comment.

All senators and members of Parliament can travel in business class for free with Via Rail, a Crown corporation that runs trains regularly between Toronto and the national capital. It is not a requirement that they take the free ride, however.

Nor do the rules require senators to choose the least costly option for travel. As well, in some cases, higher travel expense totals could simply indicate more frequent travel to Ottawa for work, while lower expenses could mean senators spend less time in Parliament.

The existing spending rules for parliamentarians allow them to choose their means of transportation based on a system of points, where each senator is eligible to take a few dozen round trips, depending on whether they drive, fly or take the train.

Nancy Ruth, a Toronto Conservative appointed to the Senate by former Liberal prime minister Paul Martin, was fourth on the list with $53,225 in regular travel expenses.

Salma Ataullahjan, a defeated Tory candidate from the Toronto region appointed to the Senate by Harper, was third-highest among active senators with $50,031.09 in “regular travel” expenses, followed by Conservative Linda Frum at $43,189 and Liberal Art Eggleton, a former cabinet minister and Toronto mayor, who had $42,344.19 in expenses for going back and forth to the capital.

The next four biggest spenders on regular travel among Ontario senators were Asha Seth ($38,027), David Braley ($36,843), Nicole Eaton ($36,010) and Irving Gerstein ($35,526), all appointed in recent years by Harper.

Eaton confirmed

in

an email that she travelled by plane to her home in Toronto. Asked whether she believed her spending was reasonable, she referred to an ongoing internal review of spending in the Senate.

“As you are likely aware, the Senate committee on internal economy is reviewing these matters,” she wrote. “I respect taxpayers. I am committed to ensuring my affairs and expenses are both appropriate and respectful of the Senate policies and rules governing them.”

Retired Conservative senator Consiglio Di Nino was next with $25,804 in travel expenses, while Liberal David Smith ranked 10th among active Ontario senators, billing $18,485.29 for his travel between Ottawa and his home in downtown Toronto.

“Normally, I just fly Porter and get the cheap rates,” Smith said. “It’s 40 minutes once you’re on the plane. (Regarding) the trains, it just takes a long, long time. Occasionally I’ll do it, but normally, you just don’t have the time.”

According to Via Rail’s schedules, the fastest trains between Ottawa and downtown Toronto take about four hours and 30 minutes.

The Senate’s committee on internal economy, which has been looking at senators’ expense claims, was to meet Thursday morning, although it was unknown whether it would be releasing any findings. It has been probing housing claims and some travel by its members.