Graham Steele: Politicians' travel expenses should be more transparent

Poor Andrew Younger. Not only does he have to suffer through his still-unexplained absence from the cabinet table, but last week his ministerial travel expenses were questioned.

Travel by politicians has always been a topic attracting attention. The dollars are small, but the symbolism is powerful. Everyone has an opinion.

Federal cabinet minister Bev Oda paid $16 for a glass of orange juice in a London hotel and expensed it to taxpayers. We all knew that was too much, so bye bye, Bev.

From May 2014 to December 2014, Younger was in Texas, Louisiana, South Korea, the United Kingdom, Germany, New Hampshire, Maryland, Newfoundland, Ontario and Chile, in addition to his travel around Nova Scotia.

The total bill, according to the Department of Energy, was about $28,000.

• On mobile? See Andrew Younger's travel details here

This sort of story is not unique to the current government. Younger himself questioned the cost of former premier Darrell Dexter's business class tickets to China. The New Democratic Party, when in opposition, routinely questioned ministers' travel expenses — and so on, back to the dawn of political time.

Not enough information

If politicians want to justify their travel on our dime, they don't help their own cause by smothering public access to information.

Sometimes there are announcements, like when the premier is going on an international trade mission. Most of the time, though, there is no announcement. The politician just goes. They're not hiding their trip, but they're not exactly publicizing it either.

I think Nova Scotians would be surprised, maybe even shocked, by how many trips our politicians take.   

Ministers' travel expense reports are available at the legislative library. Yes, it's 2015 — not 1915 — but the reports are only in hard copy in a single location in downtown Halifax.

To make it worse, these reports are sometimes incomplete and usually months late.  

Travel by MLAs who are not ministers is not made public anywhere. I'd love to see a list, but there isn't one.

The solution is simple: post all out-of-province travel plans, in advance, on a publicly available website. Include destination, dates, purpose and cost. The only exception would be a vacation. That kind of system wouldn't prevent MLAs from travelling, but it would require them to defend their travel to a skeptical public.

Publicity did wonders for reining in MLA constituency expenses. It would have the same salutary effect on MLA travel expenses.

Some travel justified

Of course some political travel is justifiable. When there's a federal or provincial ministers' meeting, for example, Nova Scotia needs to be there. Some business deals require the personal presence of the minister. Sometimes you have to fly the flag.

We can’t sell ourselves short to save a few dollars.

But there is, in my opinion, far too much travel of dubious, small or indefinable value. Included in this category would be many conferences, conventions and study tours.

For example, if a minister goes to Germany to study alternative energy, then a few months later is shuffled to another portfolio, what value did the trip have? Zero.

It had zero value because whatever that individual learned walked out the door with him or her. Better to have sent a bureaucrat.

It's easy for a politician to persuade himself or herself that travel is needed. It's a break from the routine, it might be somewhere nice and warm, it's all expenses paid.

There are no snow days in Orlando. You have to be self-disciplined to say, "Even though I could go, it's better if I don't."

And when you're on the road, it's easy for a politician to persuade himself or herself that a little extra expense is justified. That room upgrade, that nice meal, that sightseeing tour? There has to be a little voice saying "No," or saying "Pay for it yourself."

Many politicians hear that voice. Some don't.

That's why there will always be questions about where our politicians our going, supposedly for our benefit, and what they're spending when they get there.