Philpott vows to repay cost of limo rides

Health minister apologizes for ‘excessive’ bill

OTTAWA • Health Minister Jane Philpott says she will personally pay back thousands of dollars in “excessive” charges for two days of limousine services.

“I would like to apologize for the excessive costs related to travel for my work responsibilities,” Philpott said in a statement Thursday evening.

“This does not live up to the standard that Canadians expect and I have taken steps to ensure this does not occur again.”

She was referring to a total of more than $3,700 in limousine costs.

A $1,708 expense incurred March 31 was for a full day of services with several meetings and events in the Greater Toronto Area.

Another $1,994 was spent in July when Philpott spoke at the Assembly of First Nations annual general assembly in Niagara Falls.

Philpott’s statement did not address questions from the National Post about the fact the owner of the limousine company was a volunteer on her campaign, nor his promise earlier Thursday to reimburse the government himself.

It also did not address more than $3,000 in additional charges for trips between the Toronto airport and her Markham-Stouffville home.

It did, however, include a promise that Philpott would ask her department to “review” these airport-related costs, “to ensure that taxpayers are charged for only fair- market value.”

“I will reimburse any excessive expenses based on departmental advice,” she said.

Earlier, the owner of the executive limo service offered a refund in response to “petty political posturing.”

When news emerged this week of the March 31 charges, it set off a debate over the appropriate amount for transporting a cabinet minister during a day full of events.

MPs including the NDP’s Charlie Angus and Conservatives Colin Carrie and Michelle Rempel weighed in, saying they thought using a limousine service for this purpose was inappropriate.

On Thursday, Carrie wrote to Ethics Commissioner Mary Dawson asking for a probe into the minister’s “apparent violation of the Conflict of Interest Act” in her use of the vehicles.

“The decision by the minister to use the services of such a strong supporter with no apparent open process or steps taken to avoid a conflict of interest appear to be potential violations,” Carrie said in the letter.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau also needs to articulate that what happened in Philpott’s office is not acceptable, Carrie said in an interview with The Canadian Press.

Philpott made a statement late Wednesday saying the cost was “inappropriate” and “I have already taken steps to prevent this from occurring in the future.”

Reza Shirani, the owner of Executive Sedan Livery Service Inc., said in a statement he was a longtime supporter of the Liberal party and of Philpott.

“I’m delighted that she and my party were elected to form a majority government,” said Shirani, who was a volunteer on Philpott’s federal election campaign last year. “I resent the implication that, somehow, I was ‘playing the system’ as an ‘insider’ in some inappropriate way.”

In taking the step of offering a full refund, Shirani said, “I fully expect to be accused by the ‘defenders of Canadian taxpayers’ of making a donation of services to the Liberal Party of Canada that exceeds authorized individual donation limits, even if I promise not to seek any political tax credit.”

Shirani, who said in the statement that he came to Canada as a refugee from Iran in 1987, defended the rates for his service — they are competitive, he said — and said it “never occurred to me” that his support for the Liberals would “result in my not being able to provide my company’s services” to the government.

Shirani said he had no special relationship with Philpott other than canvassing for her campaign, as he had for other Liberal candidates. He said that he didn’t believe Philpott was aware of his occupation when he volunteered for her.

Shirani said the only reason he responded was “to restore Minister Philpott’s fine reputation and relieve her of being required to answer to such patent nonsense.”

“I know that Minister Philpott and I both deserve better.”

Aaron Wudrick, federal director of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said it is important that Trudeau send a signal from the top about spending.

“We would certainly like to hear a public statement reinforcing the importance of getting value for taxpayer dollars,” Wudrick said.

The Prime Minister’s Office has not commented.

I RESENT THE ACCUSATION THAT SOMEHOW I WAS ‘PLAYING THE SYSTEM.’