Nova Scotia MLAs spent $32K on event tickets last fiscal year

Politicians are a common sight at fundraisers, concerts and dinners. MLAs get invited to hundreds of them every year.

How many they attend is up to them — but taxpayers have a stake too.

That's because provincial representatives are allowed to expense the cost of their tickets and last fiscal year it added up to $32,253.28.

CBC News compiled the figures using the latest expense reports posted to the Nova Scotia Legislature website.

They cover the period from April 2014 to March 2015.

The events range from New Democrat Sterling Belliveau's $8.70 entrance fee for the Fisheries Expo in Yarmouth to a $500 dinner ticket for Liberal Patricia Arab to attend the "A Night to Remember" Alzheimer event.

The biggest spender overall was New Democrat leadership hopeful Lenore Zann whose expenses for events totalled $2,632.69 last year.

That includes tickets for two to 19 shows or performances at venues such as, the Marigold Theatre in Truro, the Cohen and Neptune Theatres in Halifax and the Ship's Company Theatre in Parrsboro.

Biggest spenders:

• Lenore Zann: $2,632.69
• Labi Kousoulis: $2,397.61
• Patricia Arab: $2,113.51
• Joachim Stroink: $2,074.88
• Lena Diab: $1,853.80

Smallest spenders:

• Stephen McNeil: $0
• Frank Corbett: $0
• Gordie Gosse: $0
• Pat Dunn: $0
• Sterling Belliveau: $8.70

Zann, who is the culture critic for the New Democratic Party, defended the spending as support for the arts.

"Everybody knows I'm a huge champion for the arts and the creative industry, creative economy so I think more politicians should go to more plays and musical events and more theatre and more art galleries," she said.

Zann said she has spoken about the arts more than 100 times in the legislature and part of her research comes from events she has attended.

Liberal cabinet minister Labi Kousoulis is the second biggest spender on tickets and dinners. He expensed a total of $2,397.61 last year.

He has attended events in support of Laing House, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Brigadoon Village and the Salvation Army.

Expenses 'justified'

"I feel every expense I put through my office is justified," Kousoulis said. "There's a lot of expenses that I pay for out of my own pocket which I do not put through my constituency office which I would be allowed to by the Speaker's office."

He said he also doesn't claim for mileage within his constituency of Halifax Citadel-Sable Island, which he would be entitled to.

Liberal backbenchers Patricia Arab and Joachim Stroink are the only other two MLAs to claim more than $2,000 on events.

Stroink said all his expenses are related to his duties as the MLA for Halifax Chebucto. That included two tickets for a scotch whiskey tasting which cost $124.98.

"That was through the Duke of Edinburgh award," said Stroink. "We give out a lot of Duke awards within the riding so this is a good opportunity to support them."

Minority paid their own way

Only four of the 51 MLAs paid their own way to the events they attended last year.

Premier Stephen McNeil didn't file any expenses related to charity events, dinners or performances. He admitted a big part of the reason was his position. 

"Being the premier I get invited to a lot of things where people aren't asking me to buy tickets," he said.

"If there were things I would go to solely as the MLA then I would consider expensing those. But if I was going to go as Stephen and Andrea as a member of the community, I don't expense that."

Of the other party leaders, interim NDP Leader Maureen MacDonald filed the largest amount at $1,789.86.

Progressive Conservative Leader Jamie Baillie got $80 back from taxpayers for two events for which he bought tickets: $20 for a choir performance at St Andrews Wesley United Church and $60 to attend the Springhill Chamber of Commerce annual meeting.

The leader of the Official Opposition said there is too much latitude over how much MLAs can charge back to taxpayers for charity events and shows.

"Too often politicians are asking themselves what can I expense instead of what should I expense," said Baillie.

Recently retired new democrats Frank Corbett and Gordie Gosse didn't file any expenses for dinners or events. Neither did Progressive Conservative caucus member Pat Dunn.

Spending by caucus:

• New Democrats: 7 members expensed a total of $4,600.85 (Average: $657.26)
• Progressive Conservatives: 10 members expensed a total of $1,977.43 (Average: $197.74)
• Liberals: 32 members expensed a total of $25,408.43 (Average: $774.33)
• Independent Chuck Porter: Expensed a total of $275