Nunavut Senator says more transparency needed in expense reports
Latest quarterly financial report showed Dennis Patterson had 2nd highest hospitality expenses
Nunavut Senator Dennis Patterson wants even more transparency in the Senate, after he says a financial report from the Red Chamber, which listed him as having the second-highest hospitality totals, was taken out of context.
As part of the Senate's effort to become more transparent, the new disclosure process breaks down hospitality expense claims. Each charge is listed individually, including details such as the purpose, location, and even the number of guests who were present for the cost in question.
The breakdown of senators' expenses for July 1 to Sept. 30 tallied Patterson's hospitality expenses at $1,339.55, most of which were listed as being for "business meetings." One expense was cited as "refreshments for guests" and one other as a "community event."
Patterson says the problem is the "purpose" category doesn't have many options to detail exactly what senators are spending taxpayers' money on.
In one expense, Patterson claimed a House of Commons food services bill for $446 for a "business meeting" for 55 guests. He says it was for an event he held to screen the documentary Angry Inuk on Parliament Hill.
"That was an opportunity to showcase Inuit filmmaking and also raise awareness of the seal hunt and its importance to Inuit culture," Patterson said.
Other expense claims marked as for "business meetings" were for food bought at Costco, Sobeys and Shoppers Drug Mart. Patterson says those were for an event in Iqaluit, but he bought the food in Ottawa to avoid paying more for the same items in Nunavut.
"There should be more detail [in the financial reporting] on exactly what kind of an event it was to show that it involved constituents. Because they really couldn't be described as business meetings. It's a bit misleading."
Patterson is one of a number of senators pushing for more transparency, according to the Canadian Taxpayers Federation.
"One thing we've been calling for, for a long time, is to post receipts," said Aaron Wudrick, the organization's federal director.
"A lot of the time there are details there that give it a lot of context. Some senators are just taking it upon themselves to release more information. We'd just like it standardized so it applies to everybody."