12 December 2010

Proactive Disclosure Questions

Why is it when senior public servants decide to meet over lunch, when not in travel status, taxpayers pick up the tab? Wouldn't they be eating a lunch anyway? Why aren't such lunches a taxable benefit? Here's an example from LAC.

Hospitality Expenses - 2010

Dates Event Description Cost
02-15 Business Lunch with the Chief Information Officer of Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat. $88.84
02-19 Business Lunch with a professor from Swizterland. $76.73
02-22 Meeting with the Management Team of the Office of the Information Commissioner of Canada. $10.84
02-23 Business Lunch with the President of the Public Service Commission. $72.10
03-05 Business lunch with the President & Vice-President of the Historica-Dominion Institute $75.40
03-10 Business Lunch with the Director of Corporate Security Services of Library and Archives Canada. $39.96
03-15 Business lunch with the Director of the Records and Archives Management at the Japan Archives Department and his interpretor $159.65
03-17 Business Breakfast with the President of the Library and National Archives of Quebec. $42.12
03-18 Business lunch with the President of the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council $84.34
04-15 Business lunch with the Executive Director and General Counsel of the Canadian Judicial Council $79.83
04-22 Refreshments with the Minister of Culture of Colombia $57.52
04-28 Business lunch with the President and Director General of the Canada Science and Technology Museum Corporation $82.72
05-07 Breakfast meeting with the Secretary of the Canadian Intergovernmental Conference Secretariat $35.17
05-10 Business lunch with a consultant $27.30
05-17 Business lunch with a consultant $33.07
05-18 Business lunch with the Acting Assistant Deputy Minister of Public Works and Government Services Canada $92.12
05-21 Business lunch with the Director of Canada Lands Company Limited $92.38
06-01 Business lunch with a representative of "l'École Nationale d'administration publique" $83.36
06-08 Business lunch with a representative of "l'École Nationale d'administration publique" $78.18
06-21 Business lunch with executives of several federal departments $184.16
07-08 Business lunch with the Assistant Chief of Air Staff from National Defense $106.56
07-12 Business lunch with 2 consultants $134.18
Total: $1,736.53


1 comment:

Anonymous said...

1. "Swizterland" sic. It would be interesting to see the very original expense claim.
2. Why didn't the consultants pick up the tabs?
3. Are "refreshments" on government time at 395 Wellington alcohol free?
4. May I send copies of this post to political parties, my MP, and the media?