RRC pays cost of reception

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This article was published 26/11/2013 (3411 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Red River College president Stephanie Forsyth voluntarily paid back the cost of hosting a reception at her home — even though a college investigation concluded the costs were a legitimate expense.

“The college conducted an internal audit and subsequently an external audit and reported that the president’s expenses were in keeping with the duties and strategic goals of the institution,” an RRC official said Tuesday evening.

Colin Craig, prairie director of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said earlier Tuesday he had uncovered a pre-wedding reception at Forsyth’s home for which she claimed expenses. The guests included people from another unidentified post-secondary institution with whom Forsyth wished to network, said Craig.

Neither Craig nor RRC has said who was getting married, which other school guests came from, or how much money was involved.

The Canadian Taxpayers Federation has criticized Forsyth previously for her expenses, including golf shoes and her driver’s licence.

RRC said it conducted audits after Craig first filed his complaint.

It is incorrect to call the reception wedding-related, the college said.

“This was a reception hosted by Red River to connect with industry, stakeholders, partners to continue forging relationships and build on RRC’s strategic plan,” the college spokesman said.

“Today’s college president does not simply serve in an academic capacity. While academic experience is essential, so is industry and stakeholder engagement to meet the needs of Manitoba and drive a skilled workforce,” he said.