Retiring Conservative Cariboo-Prince George MP Dick Harris racked up significant expenses in 2014-15. The annual MP expense report has Harris expensing $505,257.08, the highest among B.C. MPs and the second highest in Canada.
In defence of Harris, he represents, until the federal election this fall, one of the largest rural ridings in Canada and does have to travel extensively. The travel portion of every MP's budget, including Harris, raises the hackles of taxpayers because of the family benefit.
Harris reported expenses of $436,683.50 in 2013-2014, according to the Members' Expenditures Report submitted each year by the House of Commons. That's an increase in expenses of $68,573.58 or nearly 16 per cent over the previous year. A big chunk of the higher spending went to the travel expenses for Harris's wife, Anne Phillips, totalling $54,457.74, up from $18,712.97. Putting that in broader context, the travel costs for Phillips were $51,773.63 the year before that, also second in Canada that year behind former interim Liberal leader Bob Rae, who rang up nearly $57,000 in travel costs for his "designated traveller," his wife Arlene, according to the National Post.
As the Post article explains, MPs are allowed to name a designated traveller each year, usually a spouse, although it doesn't have to be. According to the Post, travel expenses to fly MP spouses totalled $2.2 million in 2012-2013, with another $554,000 spent flying their dependent kids, which is an allowable expense.
The expenses filed by Harris are high compared to his colleagues, but not outrageously so. That's because they all do it, regardless of their political stripe.
NDP Skeena-Builkley Valley MP Nathan Cullen's 2014/2015 expenses totalled $452,469.27 while Prince George-Peace River Conservative MP Bob Zimmer's expenses came in at $485,557.91.
Looking at travel expenses, Cullen spent $1,433.07 on his wife Diana, his designated traveller, and $4,679.40 on his two young sons, Isaac and Elliot. Meanwhile, Zimmer spent $4,647.24 on his wife, Val, his designated traveller, and an additional $23,188.66 for his four children.
Two other interesting line items on the expenditures report for the three regional MPs were advertising and printing. For MPs, advertising is defined as "the cost of print and other media to advertise the Member's name and contact information, assistance and services provided, constituency meeting announcements, congratulatory messages, seasonal greetings, partisan opinions or advocacy statements to the Member's constituents." Harris spent just $287.25 in advertising, compared to $4,676.32 by Cullen and a whopping $12,269.21 by the rookie MP Zimmer. (Full disclosure: Zimmer regularly takes out advertising in The Citizen to send greetings to constituents at holidays during the year. Tuesday's Citizen contained an ad from Zimmer, wishing everyone Happy Canada Day).
On printing costs for "householders," defined as "production costs of printed materials sent by Members to households located in their constituency to inform constituents about parliamentary activities and issues," Cullen led the way, spending $11,727.61, with Zimmer right behind at $11,223.58. Harris spent just $6,116.05 on householders.
MPs hear it both ways when it comes to spending money on ads and mailouts.
On one hand, they're accused of wasting money and on the other, constituents complain about lack of transparency and visibility when they don't hear from their MP.
As for travel costs, MPs receive pretty much the same privileges for spouses and dependent children that are handed out to senior corporate executives. It's a generous perk, for certain, but it's not an unethical one nor is it happening behind anyone's back (every report for every MP going back to 2002 is available online).
Limits should be imposed on all three of those line item expenses, and on overall expenses as well, but some spending for family travel for MPs is still reasonable, particularly for the MPs from B.C. and the far north. So is taking an ad out in the local newspaper wishing everyone Merry Christmas or sending out something in the mail about bills passed in Parliament and upcoming public consultation hearings.
Voters have every right to question the value they obtain from the work of their MPs in exchange for the salaries and expenses.
They also have every right to demand spending restrictions. They even get to take part in a formal job review every four years, including one in just a few months.
It just requires filling in a ballot.
-- Managing editor Neil Godbout
