Finley vs the Liberals

The Liberals believe that Immigration Minister Diane Finley’s limo expenses are out of line. Here’s the Question Period exchange between Liberal Todd Russell and Finley (left). (Finley was the Human Resources Minister when these expenses were incurred.)

Mr. Todd Russell (Labrador, Lib.) :
Mr. Speaker, here is another example of how Conservatives waste the taxpayers' dollar.
This past July the former human resources minister went to Winnipeg to present a fake $100 child benefit cheque.
Her flight alone cost 20 times the monthly child care benefit, but now we learn that she exceeds the Juno joy-riding heritage minister for her love of limousine travel.

While on a junket, she spent $750 on limousine rides, almost eight times the worth of her so-called child care benefit.
The cheque was fake; her expenses were not. How can she justify them to the Canadian parents that she has shortchanged?

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Hon. Diane Finley (Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, CPC) :
Mr. Speaker, going to Winnipeg to make the announcement was part of our campaign to ensure that all parents who were eligible for the universal child care benefit were aware of it, were aware that it had been launched and how they could apply for it.

All my expenses were perfectly within the guidelines.

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Mr. Todd Russell (Labrador, Lib.) :
Mr. Speaker, back home we would say that the bottom is gone right out of her.
The same minister blew another $800 on limousine service to a Confederation Club luncheon on April 20.
Last March she wasted $1,300 on airfare and yes, another limo ride to promote the student summer job program. Some promo. This is the same program her government slashed by $55 million, eliminating 25,000 student jobs.

Why do Conservatives value limo rides more than they value Canadian students and Canadian parents?

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Hon. Diane Finley (Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, CPC) :
Mr. Speaker, once again, all of my expenses were completely within the guidelines for ministerial expenses.
However, there is a question I would like to ask. Why are my colleagues so concerned about expenses, which they are comparing to the universal child care benefit, when it is their leader who said he would take away the universal child care benefit?

 A few minutes after this exchange, in the foyer of the House of Commons, Finley answer reporters questions on this matter.

Finley hired a limousine service to take her on Sept. 8 from her home in Simcoe, Ont. to the Western Fair in London and back home. The cost of this service was $862.50. It’s about 100 kilometres one way between Simcoe and London.

Reporter:  Why would you get a limo to go to the Western Fair from where you live?

Finley: Well there aren’t any other alternatives except to drive and…

Reporter: Yes, a lot of people do.

Finley: That’s what a lot of people do. At this point in time my doctors have advised against it.

Reporter: Against driving all together, you can’t drive?

Finley: It’s still legal but it isn’t the safest thing around. You know I take advantage of the services available to get me there. When you live in a place where I do we can’t fly the Challenger in so I take a car. I don’t take the car because we can’t get one but I do take the car even if the Challenger could come unlike my Liberal predecessors.

Reporter: Could you get a friend to give you a lift?

Finley: No, most of my friends work and aren’t available to do those sorts of things.

Reporter: But did you need a limo?

Finley: It wasn’t a limo, it was a car. It’s I believe the model is a Crown Victoria but it’s not a limousine, no.

Reporter: It’s a limousine service I guess, that’s what it is?

Finley: It’s a limousine service, the car seats four. So this is greatly overblown.

Reporter: Can you refresh my memory why you can’t drive again?

Finley: I have a genetic thyroid condition called Graves Disease. I’m one of the 5% who has had it affect the eyes. And it will be corrected by surgery hopefully over the next period of time. We don’t know how long.