BC’s government has released the travel expenses of members of the legislature after a critical report by the auditor general said the legislature’s financial books were chaotic.
The expenses released Wednesday, October 31, cover the first six months of this fiscal year, from April 1 to September 30, and show BC’s 85 MLAs spent a total of $1.5 million.
The biggest spender was New Democrat Robin Austin, who billed $53,606 during the period. Austin’s travel expenses included a trip to Colombo, Sri Lanka, last September to attend the 58th annual Commonwealth Parliamentary Association Conference.
Speaker of the Legislature, Liberal Bill Barisoff, claimed $46,410 in expenses and Columbia River-Revelstoke New Democrat Norm MacDonald billed $45,332.
Nicholas Simons, MLA for Powell River-Sunshine Coast, reported $30,842 in expenses, which he said is about average for elected officials who are in more remote communities. “Everybody on the Sunshine Coast understands the cost of travel,” he said.
Simons said he, as well as many MLAs, collect receipts for every single expenditure. “There’s no reconciling of a Visa statement without receipts,” he said. “I think it’s good that the public has information on the expenditures of MLAs.”
The expense report was broken into five categories:
• Capital expenses and per diem: living expenses in Victoria plus a $61-a-day per diem while the legislature is sitting for out of town MLAs.
• In-constituency travel: travel and out-of-pocket expenses within the riding.
• General travel: travel out of the constituency but within the province for MLA work.
• Accompanying person: MLAs are allowed up to 12 trips per fiscal year by an accompanying person.
• Speaker approved travel: travel out of province.
Simons claimed expenses in capital city allowance ($8,312), in-constituency travel ($5,790), general travel ($16,025) and accompanying person travel ($715).
Simons said his general travel would include mostly travel related to his role as critic for Community Living BC which he said has been “pretty busy. I also conducted numerous DriveABLE town halls around the province, which this category would include.”
Simons also said he is invited to community group meetings outside the constituency, including conventions and annual general meetings, and he attends other meetings, such as Island Coastal Economic Trust meetings. As well, he has had a few visits to constituents in jail and other institutions.
