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| 2008-05-16 - Weird News Vittorio Hernandez - AHN News Writer Canadian Foreign Minister's Excessive Airfare Costs Questioned | ||
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Ottawa, Canada (AHN) -- Canadian Foreign Minister Maxime Bernier continues to be hot copy. After his diplomatic faux pas in Afghanistan and questions over his former girlfriend's links with biker gang members, there is now a question over his excessive airfare. According to the Toronto Star, Bernier charged to federal funds $22,573 to cover his airfare to Laos, where he attended a two-day conference in November. The trip included a stopover in Paris. Bernier's travel details were in the Foreign Affair Department's website. A trip to Laos normally costs less than $7,000. But Bernier was not alone. His staff of three charged their airfare to the federal coffers too, two had bills of $18,500 each, while one was more cautious and flew to Laos on a $2,676 ticket. Counting accommodation and food bills, the total bill for the Laos trip was about $70,000; making it one of the most expensive trips ever taken by a government official from Prime Minister Stephen Harper's administration. Neil Hrab, the director of communications of Bernier, said the department would reconcile the figures in their website with billings from American Express. Hrab told the Toronto Star, "Not all of the travel and hospitality expense reports posted on the proactive disclosure website represents the final costs of travel... I think some (costs) will go down." With all the controversy that Bernier has generated, his political career has been the subject of speculation by media, although Prime Minister Harper appears to be on Bernier's side. Adam Radwanski, editorial board member of the Globe and Mail, entertained questions from bloggers and one of the writers raised the question who could be a good replacement if Bernier would be kicked out of his post. Radwanski replied there were not much of good men to select from, although the best candidate would probably be Trade Minister David Emerson. But Radwanski doubts Bernier would be removed from office, despite his capers.
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