Redford Releases her Travel Expenses

[Bertuzzied]

I'm not sure what all the outrage is about for her London trip. This is the cost of doing business.

Anyways here is her last 4 years of expenses. and seriously? she had breakfast for 4 at the Palliser for $80? she must have pulled her Premier card there! haha

The receipts and expense forms date from the time when she first became an MLA in March 2008, through her four years as justice minister and the past year as premier.
A quick analysis of the receipts offers a glimpse into the daily life of a top-level politician. They show a mix of relatively inexpensive meals along with a handful of much more costly bills, particularly when Redford has travelled on government business.
As premier, Redford has almost always flown in business class, including a $12,000 fare for a trip to China in June. That trip also saw Redford charge about $2,900 for an interpreter for three days of meetings and $1,280 for photos to be taken.
On an excursion to Washington, D.C., earlier in June, the premier had a $915 bill for one night’s stay in the Hay-Adams hotel.
There was also an expensive two-night stay at the Waldorf Astoria in New York. The premier ordered room service coffee at one point, which came to more than $22 with taxes and fees added on.


http://www.calgaryherald.com/news/po...932/story.html

[MarchHare]

Wow, $22 for a coffee?! I guess Bev Oda isn't feeling so bad about her $12 orange juice now. Why was Redford staying at the Waldorf Astoria and Hay-Adams? Weren't there more affordable hotels available? I'm not suggesting the premier should stay at Motel 6 or Comfort Inn, but those are among the nicest (and costliest) hotels in the world.

[Ozy_Flame]

Some of it seems a little extravagant, but nothing to get too concerned about. Posh hotels is not uncommon for a world leader (and that's really what she is in some respects for our province). As long as it's within reason (a subjective point at best).

I'm just wondering how a gaff such as over $100k in cancelled hotel rooms was even allowed to happen. That's the one that bothers me.

[undercoverbrother]

How does it compare to other Provinces and Premiers?

Also how does it compare to previous gov'ts?

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by Ozy_Flame

Some of it seems a little extravagant, but nothing to get too concerned about. Posh hotels is not uncommon for a world leader (and that's really what she is in some respects for our province). As long as it's within reason (a subjective point at best).

I'm just wondering how a gaff such as over $100k in cancelled hotel rooms was even allowed to happen. That's the one that bothers me.

Not unusual for room to be booked and paid at Olympics. A buddy of mine has a great story about Salt Lake/Lanny/ and prepaid rooms.


It is interesting how the number break down for the UK trip:

The cost for Redford and the two ministers who made the trip with staff was $87,135.38. An additional $431,144.57 was spent on four luncheons, a reception, a high commissioner’s dinner and accommodation and travel costs ($171,567.30) for 17 Alberta performers and artists, including Corb Lund and Alyssa Reid.

http://www.international.alberta.ca/...ion-report.pdf

This give a breakdown of the Olympics trip

[Bertuzzied]

Originally Posted by Ozy_Flame

Some of it seems a little extravagant, but nothing to get too concerned about. Posh hotels is not uncommon for a world leader (and that's really what she is in some respects for our province). As long as it's within reason (a subjective point at best).

I'm just wondering how a gaff such as over $100k in cancelled hotel rooms was even allowed to happen. That's the one that bothers me.

I guess if would have been a lot worse if we sent over the extra 18 people.

She attributed part of the bill, such as the money spent on unused hotel rooms, on a “difficult and unpredictable” economy during the Olympics.
“We were able to, in those circumstances, to recover 40 per cent of those costs,” she said.
Two cabinet ministers who travelled with Redford said the Tory government got stuck with a $113,687 hotel bill when it decided last spring to reduce the delegation by 18 people, including four other cabinet ministers.
They said the government asked the hotel to re-sell the rooms, but the market “softened” and the rooms could not be resold.
Tourism Minister Christine Cusanelli said the government still saved $123,000 as a result of its decision to reduce the size of the delegation. She staunchly defended the $518,000 total cost.

[Cowboy89]

Originally Posted by MarchHare

Wow, $22 for a coffee?! I guess Bev Oda isn't feeling so bad about her $12 orange juice now. Why was Redford staying at the Waldorf Astoria and Hay-Adams? Weren't there more affordable hotels available? I'm not suggesting the premier should stay at Motel 6 or Comfort Inn, but those are among the nicest (and costliest) hotels in the world.

I can understand the Waldorf Astoria (the staying there part, maybe not the $22 coffee). If you're looking for a business class hotel room in Midtown Manhattan then it's probably running you $400/night at almost any place in that area. I stayed there because the rate I got was actually the cheapest among 4-5 other hotels within a few blocks of the conference I was attending.

At the end of the day there's few things in that article that really raise my eyebrows that much when viewed from the perspective that it is the leader of the entire province and not some random minister or civil servant. Unless it's blantant abuse of public dollars then the only purpose of reporting these expenses in the newspaper is to raise the ire of Calgary Sun type readers who seem to think that it's 'waste' if the costs are anything above economy seat sale airfare prices, Motel 6 hotel rooms, or Denny's Breakfasts.

[valo403]

Originally Posted by MarchHare

Wow, $22 for a coffee?! I guess Bev Oda isn't feeling so bad about her $12 orange juice now. Why was Redford staying at the Waldorf Astoria and Hay-Adams? Weren't there more affordable hotels available? I'm not suggesting the premier should stay at Motel 6 or Comfort Inn, but those are among the nicest (and costliest) hotels in the world.

I don't know about DC, but you can definitely spend a lot more in NYC if you choose. The Waldorf is pretty ideally situated for business travel, the Marriott a few blocks over may have been cheaper but it certainly wouldn't have been cheap.

[c.t.ner]

Cue the "My kid could have sold those rooms on Kijiji crowd backlash"

I'm disappointed that hotel bill element. I understand being stuck with the Hotel Rooms because of cancellations, but it's still horrible optics for everyday citizens and it's bad timing. It's too bad, that most people's attention span is solely focused on that number and when the ROI comes in, (either through increased tourism, investment in Canada, etc.,) it won't get a mention.

IMO it was still a very worthwhile trip considering the full itinerary of what actually happened, but the Redford government has to do a much stronger job on explaining costs and controlling the conversation. This trip if anything goes to further prove how much more needs to be done by the government's Communication/PR department to explain what they're doing and how it benefits Alberta as whole.

[Ozy_Flame]

Doesn't Nenshi stay with a friend/family when he's in Toronto, even on business? I'd like to get his opinion on what's appropriate, considering this is a guy who refuses to sit business class and will find the low-cost options for travel expenses as a whole. I'm going to Tweet him and post his response if possible.

[Bertuzzied]

Originally Posted by Ozy_Flame

Doesn't Nenshi stay with a friend/family when he's in Toronto, even on business? I'd like to get his opinion on what's appropriate, considering this is a guy who refuses to sit business class and will find the low-cost options for travel expenses as a whole. I'm going to Tweet him and post his response if possible.

You can ask Bunk to ask him.

haha. Nenshi is probably going to put all other politicians to shame. Remember the flack he got for accepting a free plane ticket from a company to speak and promote Calgary in Toronto?

[Jacks]

That better have been the best coffee she ever tasted, or had 5 shots of Baileys in it.

[polak]

Nothing really crazy. Frankly I don't want the person that is representing my province staying at crappy hotels, flying coach, taking cabs, dressing poorly... etc.

She needs to give off some confidence and present herself well.

As long things like $22 coffee's weren't regular occurances, I have no problem with her spending.

[Kybosh]

I've had $25 coffee. The beans were crapped out by a civet cat.

[Komskies]

Ahhh yes, the cat poop coffee. I believe there was a thread about that a year or two ago.

[Bertuzzied]

Maybe the coffee was only $5 but she gave them an extra $20 tip because the room service guy was hot.

[Kybosh]

Originally Posted by Bertuzzied

Maybe the coffee was only $5 but she gave them an extra $20 tip because the room service guy was hot.

Or she just had one Starbucks drink.

Haha! It's funny because Starbucks is expensive.

[JohnnyB]

Originally Posted by Kybosh

I've had $25 coffee. The beans were crapped out by a civet cat.

That's become trendy in Shanghai recently. There are a few coffee shops that serve only that kind of coffee now.

[Bertuzzied]

Originally Posted by Kybosh

Or she just had one Starbucks drink.

Haha! It's funny because Starbucks is expensive.

the only thing more expensive than a Starbucks drink is a Starbucks drink that is delivered!

[Jimmy Stang]

Although I'm not going to defend a $22 coffee, by the time the hotel tacks on their service charge, delivery charge, gratuity, and the usual room service markup, it adds up pretty quickly. Particularly in "better" hotels.

In the big picture, however, the return on investment for the province is high enough that we don't need to scrutinize a cup of coffee. Besides, if she was able to get breakfast for 4 (including the US Ambassador!) at the Palliser for only $80, then she has already saved the province money!