Now this is the good life for me

[secondtube]

i wish, i wish, i wish....

Problems with $1M in hospitality claims, expensive travel

But no individuals probed or disciplined by federal ministry

DEAN BEEBY

CANADIAN PRESS

OTTAWA—A newly released audit of travel expenses at the federal Fisheries Department has uncovered some horror stories — just as the Liberal government tries to shake off spending scandals at the Royal Canadian Mint and elsewhere.

The exhaustive internal review of the department's $42-million annual bill for travel and hospitality found:

Some employees attending foreign conferences stayed abroad after meetings ended, claiming expenses without any evidence they were actually doing government business.

Staff at some meetings claimed meal allowances, even though meals were provided at the gatherings.

Other employees used exorbitant exchange rates to make claims for foreign travel even though the rate they actually paid was lower.

One staff member in a remote posting claimed $6,000 for hotel, meals and incidentals for 27 straight days so he could be with his spouse for the birth of a child. There was no evidence anyone had authorized the expenses in advance.

One office habitually booked high-priced flights, each costing an average of $5,400 more than the lowest-priced flight available.

The audit, dated Sept. 30, covered two years of spending on travel and hospitality, ending March 31 this year.

Investigators also found numerous cases where travel was not pre-authorized as required, expense claims were missing receipts, and Treasury Board policies were being ignored or subverted.

"The majority of claims in all regions were missing pre-approvals, had incomplete supporting documentation, and had invalid or missing ... signatures," says the audit, referring to problems with hospitality claims worth about $1 million each year.

"The extent of non-compliance with hospitality policies was high in all regions."

Similar problems were reported in the travel files, though the auditors said there was better management oversight and most claims they examined did adhere to the regulations.

The audit also probed whether the department has been following rules set Dec. 12, 2003, when Prime Minister Paul Martin ordered senior officials across government to post their expenses on the Internet each quarter.

A sampling showed some senior officials at Fisheries and Oceans neglected to disclose a few business trips "due to administrative oversight."

Only 16 out of 42 hospitality events were posted on the departmental website as required, suggesting widespread failure to obey the rules.

The auditors noted there was no effort to verify that the web postings were accurate.

A senior official said most of the lapses cited were about a lack of documentation rather that improper spending.

"The travel program at DFO (Department of Fisheries and Oceans) is well-managed," said Bill Lumsdon, director of accounting, materiel and administration service.

"Can it be improved in some spots? Yes. And I would say the same thing about the hospitality program."

Lumsdon said no Fisheries individuals are being disciplined or investigated as a result of the findings, although improvements are being made, based on the audit's 28 recommendations. Web postings, for example, are now subject to spot checks to ensure their accuracy, he said in an interview.

Release of the findings follows some difficult weeks for the Liberal government over allegedly excessive expense claims.

David Dingwall stepped down as president of the Royal Canadian Mint, shortly after it was reported that his office racked up $748,000 in expenses last year, including $1.29 for a pack of gum. The mint has hired an outside auditor to review the claims.

Also, Immigration Minister Joe Volpe has come under fire for charging taxpayers $138 for pizza for two at a Toronto restaurant and for claiming two dinners on the same night with two different groups of people.

Edited October 17, 2005 by Guest

[Tooly]

man i wish i could just write off expenses like that.

[arcane]

Get yourself elected.

[SaggyBalls]

Okay - So we look at these expenditures and shake our heads in disgust as taxpayers.

I understand that I don't pay a lot of taxes but still it's my money too and I've got to say this:

So few people are actually interested in going into politics because it generally pays very little for the hassles politicians have to go through. what a dry job. I'd hate to be a politician with the flack they get for their judgement and the way they vote and how they want to run the country.

I say pay them more and give them bigger expenditure budgets - but make it uniform and let them invest the rest in canadian corporations, keep the dividends and give the initial sums back when they leave office.

I think we need to give our young minds more reasons to enter politics. There's a serious brain drain happening in this country.

If it'd bring us some BETTER politicians then I think it's money well spent.

I hope somebody reads this board that can make some changes (Hux, remember this when you're in office...and ask me about some other ideas i have if you're curious)