Feds should scan and post every expense receipt online: CTF

By

VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – A series of expense scandals now dogging the federal Liberals are prompting a call for action from a taxpayer watchdog.

Aaron Wudrick with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation tells NEWS 1130 he thinks all federal politicians should scan and publicly post their expense receipts.

“It would force all politicians and their staff to think very carefully every time they’re going to incur an expense,” Wudrick argues, adding “it’s sort of a nice way to gut-check them and make sure that what they’re spending is reasonable.”

He says something similar is already in place in Alberta and the City of Toronto.

Health Minister Jane Philpott is now the subject of an Ethics Commission review for her use of a high-end car service owned by a Liberal supporter. Philpott said last week she would repay $3,700 that was spent on car services, along with any other expenses deemed inappropriate by her department.

“The reason, for example, minister Phillpott’s expenses are egregious is that, it’s $1,700 for one day,” Wudrick says. “If that had appeared in a sort of year-long transport expense report, perhaps no one would have thought anything of it.”

Philpott also says she will repay $520 billed to taxpayers to access Air Canada lounges in North America and Europe.

Meanwhile, the federal Conservatives say Environment Minister Catherine McKenna needs to repay more than $6,000 paid to a French photographer to take pictures of her and her staff during the Paris climate summit last year.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau admitted today that the photos were “perhaps not the best use of public funds”, and says he is open to making ministerial spending more transparent.

Top Stories

Top Stories

Most Watched Today