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Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION

Oda blasted over lavish hotel stay

Repays fraction of cash spent in London

By: Jordan Press and Natalie Pona

Posted: 04/24/2012 1:00 AM | Comments: 0

Max Nash / The Associated Press archives London�s ultra-swanky Savoy Hotel, where Bev Oda stayed during a conference last year. (CP)

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Bev Oda (CP)

OTTAWA -- International Development Minister Bev Oda, under fire from critics over a lavish stay at a London hotel last year during a conference that reportedly included a $16 glass of orange juice and about $1,000 per day on limousines, reimbursed taxpayers Monday for a fraction of the spending.

Oda opted out of the five-star Grange St. Paul's Hotel, where her conference was held, in favour of the Savoy, a swanky hotel frequented by royalty, on a government-paid trip that cost taxpayers more than her original travel plans.

But the government announced she was reimbursing some of the additional costs from the June 2011 international conference -- held to discuss vaccines and immunization for children in developing countries -- after they were uncovered in a media report by The Canadian Press.

"Our government believes very much that all ministers must respect taxpayer dollars," said the government's House leader, Peter Van Loan, in response to a barrage of questions in the House of Commons. "The minister of course has repaid the costs in question."

Oda was not in the Commons to answer questions, and her office declined to say where she was. Her office also declined to say why she had not offered to reimburse limousine expenses, noting her expenses respected existing government guidelines.

Oda's spokesman, Justin Broekema, explained overall travel spending by her office and other ministers of cabinet have decreased in recent years.

But opposition critics ridiculed the explanations, noting Oda had previously been forced to reimburse travel costs after revelations she spent $17,000 on limousine expenses in her first 15 months as a federal minister, including about $6,000 on limos over four days in Halifax to attend the Juno awards in 2006.

"This is a woman with a long history," said NDP ethics critic Charlie Angus.

"Is someone over there not embarrassed by her behaviour? Will someone stand up and apologize to the hard-working Canadian taxpayers? She is living like a queen off their backs."

Broekema said taxpayers would not be on the hook for a cancellation fee, additional costs incurred at the Savoy, as well as the orange juice. But the opposition said she should also reimburse taxpayers for her limousine travel.

"Clearly, they were trying to find a way to paper over a pretty serious transgression and they did it in a very sloppy manner," said Liberal deputy leader Ralph Goodale.

"It reveals a government that's off its game, quite frankly, and taking liberties with the public's patience and the public's purse."

-- Postmedia News

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition April 24, 2012 A5

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