Earlier this month, Liberal MP Mike Savage unearthed the thousands of dollars Heritage Minister Bev Oda spent renting limousines while she attended the Juno Awards in Halifax. Today, the Liberals jumped on Immigration Minister Diane Finley for thousands she spent on limousines to attend what the Liberals say were essentially photo ops. Here’s the Liberal press release:
Today in Question Period the Liberal Opposition detailed expenses incurred by former Human Resources Minister Diane Finley while she was doing photo ops on child care, affordable housing and student jobs.
The following documents were obtained under Access to Information:
1) An expense claim for $2,222.56 billed by Minister Finley for July 16-17, 2006, for “UCCB [Universal Child Care Benefit] cheque presentation in Winnipeg.”
2) A $752.60 “Canada Limousine Inc.” invoice dated August 8, 2006, for service in July, marked “to be paid by Dept. UCCB Cheque presentation to and from airport.”
3) A $1,600.34 travel claim dated July 18, 2006, for Conservative staffer Colleen Cameron marked “presentation of a symbolic UCCB cheque to a family with children in Winnipeg.”
4) A limo bill of $861.35 for the Minister to attend a “Confederation Club Speakers Luncheon meeting” on April 20, 2006.
5) Three limo bills from September 2006:
– $862 to attend the Western Fair on September 8, 2006, noting expense to “wait 4 hrs.”
– $690 for the Vediroc Affordable Housing Announcement on September 7, 2006, as described on HRSD proactive disclosure website.
– $297.50 for travel from the Airport to the Toronto Royal York Hotel on September 6, 2006.-30-
These documents is available at:
http://www.liberal.ca/pdf/docs/070219_uccb_cheque_presentation.pdf