Cost for delegates at Paris summit remains cloudy
B.C. has yet to release breakdown of expenses for representatives attending climate talks
British Columbia’s environmental ministry has yet to clear the air on its spending for the United Nations’ Climate Change Conference in Paris this month.
The summit began Nov. 30 and runs until Dec. 11, and had invited international leaders — including an expected 383 delegates from Canada — to travel to Le Bourget, near Paris, to discuss environmental issues.
While the federal Environment and Climate Change Canada said it had budgeted $675,000 for flights, hotels and meals for the UN summit, B.C.’s environment ministry has yet to release its own breakdown of costs.
B.C. government politicians and staff must file cost estimates for out-of-province travel, but Environment Minister Mary Polak said actual costs will eventually be made public.
The government said there were nine in the B.C. delegation, including Polak and Premier Christy Clark, but the UN delegates list also names advisers Jay J. Manning and William Richard Ross.
Ministry spokesman David Karn said a non-governmental organization is paying for Manning and Ross’ expenses, but did not say which one. He referred The Province to Ross Strategic, a Seattle environmental consultancy paid $124,190 by the B.C. government last year.
When contacted, Ross Strategic principal Tom Beierle said Rockefeller Brothers Fund is paying Manning and Ross’s expenses.
Karn would not comment on two RCMP officers listed as Clark’s bodyguards.
The federal environment ministry had budgeted $200,451 for lodging, $48,000 for flights, $105,967 for meals and $200,000 for office and equipment rental and hospitality.
Ministry spokesman Mark Johnson did not say how many people the Ministry of Environment sent, but the UN list shows 27, including Minister Catherine McKenna. McKenna was in Paris Nov. 29-Dec. 2, returned to Ottawa for the opening of parliament and is back at the summit Dec. 6-11.
Natural Resources Canada estimates it will spend $27,000. Global Affairs Canada did not respond with estimates by deadline.
Another $121,500 was earmarked for airfare and hotels for NGOs, national aboriginal organizations, youth and opposition Members of Parliament.
Conservative environment critic Ed Fast of Abbotsford said his party had three invitations, but he was the only one to attend. Fast said he spent two days in Paris, with a room at a Best Western hotel near Charles de Gaulle Airport, and flew on an economy airfare. He said part of his journey was upgraded with no cost to the taxpayer, and his final bill would “likely” be under the $4,500 allotment.
“I’m never embarrassed to travel on behalf of Canada, but we have to do so understanding the taxpayers’ expectations of their elected officials,” Fast told The Province.
The UN list included 383 Canadian government delegates, more than double the United States. Fast, the former International Trade Minister, called the contingent “excessive.”
Metro Vancouver spokeswoman Jean Kavanagh said the five-day trip for chair Greg Moore and chief administrative officer Carol Mason was expected to cost $7,500.
The City of Vancouver estimates $20,000 for its travel costs, but C40 Climate Cities Leadership Group is paying the expenses of Mayor Gregor Robertson and chief of staff Mike Magee. The organization, founded by billionaire ex-New York Mayor Mike Bloomberg, counts German infrastructure giant Siemens as a sponsor.
The operator at the art deco themed Hotel Opera Richepanse confirmed Robertson was staying at the four-star hotel near Eglise de la Madeleine. Friday, the hotel website quoted 210 euros a night for a room, about $305.
C40 gave Vancouver an award for carbon measurement and planning Thursday. C40 chair Eduardo Paes is mayor of Rio de Janeiro, the host of the 1992 UN Earth Summit and 2016 Olympics that is struggling with poverty and pollution. Last summer, Associated Press reported that open water swimmers, triathletes, rowers and sailors are at risk of viruses from Rio’s raw sewage.