MP Expenses

June 07, 2010

The topic of discussion on the Hill recently was expenses for Members of Parliament.  In a previous column, I reported how all MPs are given an operational budget to work within.  Why was I the lowest spending MP in B.C. and one of the lowest in Canada?  I am a little frugal but the real truth here is my costs are different from other MPs.

First, our children are all married, making it easier for my wife, Jacquie, to accompany me to Ottawa. My wife is with me because we do not want this job to compromise our marriage. (Marriage fatalities amongst MPs are very high). There is also a financial benefit for us being together -- I don’t need to travel back to the constituency every week to be with her.  This saves about $2500 every return trip.  My travel expenses are half the cost when compared to younger MPs with family back home.

Another factor:  rent for office space is lower in Vernon than say Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal or other tight markets. I have fewer staff as I use students or interns to complement my Ottawa office.  Also, I have a smaller constituency area than many rural ridings in more remote regions of Canada.  Although I would like to stick my chest out, the truth is the similarity is like comparing apples to oranges.  Additionally, I need to give credit to my staff as they know that I am a stickler on the use of taxpayers’ money and therefore conduct themselves accordingly.

All Members operational budgets are audited by public accounts. Why, you may ask, does the Auditor General want to review MP accounts?  Auditor General, Sheila Fraser said:  "It was not a detailed audit of their expenses. What we would look at are the systems and the policies and procedures of the House administration, so largely the work of the clerk and her staff."  (She wanted to do an audit of “value for money “by looking at the way accounts are set up, to determine if there is a better and more efficient way to operate Members’ budgets.)

Our government informed Canadians that if elected we would ensure that we didn’t have another “sponsorship scandal” or a “Shawinigate” (legacy of the previous Liberal government).

Our government brought in the Federal Accountability Act to ensure openness and transparency. The Act also reformed election funding so that Unions and Corporations couldn’t influence governments by funding election campaigns.  Lobbyists are now compelled to register and government appointments are now based on ability and merit not political association.

Yes, we all have biases but I am proud that our Government has made significant steps to assure the public that we respect the public purse and conduct your affairs in an ethical and reasonable manner.


Colin Mayes, MP
Okanagan-Shuswap