OTTAWA - Conservative bills for stretch limos, luxury hotels and government jets came under fire in the House of Commons on Tuesday, with Liberals demanding explanations from cabinet ministers for the hefty tabs.
Heritage Minister Bev Oda was pressed for a second day to explain why she ran up a whopping $5,500 limousine bill during a trip to Halifax last April for the Juno Awards. Oda eventually paid back $2,200 -- it's unclear why -- and has said that she followed all government guidelines.
But the Liberals pointed out that while her airfare and hotel fees were posted on her department's website as rules require, the limousine expenses never appeared.
"Why did the minister break Treasury Board guidelines? Why is she hiding her extravagant spending from Canadian taxpayers?'' asked Liberal MP Michael Savage.
Questions have been raised before about the unusually small number of expenses publicly posted by Tory cabinet ministers.
Oda said she would look into the "website issue.''
Next up was Agriculture Minister Chuck Strahl, who stayed overnight at Washington, D.C.'s swank Ritz-Carlton hotel with his staff last April. Documents obtained by the Liberals suggest the accommodations set taxpayers back $2,700 for the one-night night stay.
"When farmers desperately need income support, which hotel do we think the high-flying agriculture minister checked himself into?'' Liberal MP Wayne Easter asked during question period.
"It was no less than the luxury Ritz-Carlton Hotel, that would cost $540 a night, but he does get a complimentary shoeshine.''
Strahl did not respond specifically to the choice of hotel.
"When it comes, though, to wasting money, the question I have for the member from Malpeque is, Is he going to take personal responsibility to pay back the ad scam money that his party ripped off?'' Strahl shot back.
Strahl spokesman Conrad Bellehumeur later said the high price is not usual for downtown Washington.
"We're showing that we're playing a leadership role,'' he said. "That's part of the cost of doing business.''
Foreign Affairs Minister Peter MacKay was also taken to task for using a government Challenger jet to attend an international meeting in Rome last July where world leaders discussed the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah in Afghanistan.
The bill for the jet came to $44,000, with six passengers.
"How does the minister justify spending $45,000 on his Conservative flying limousine when there are 11 -- I repeat 11 -- commercial flights daily which would have cost a total of $2,933 per person?'' said Liberal MP Yasmin Ratansi.
A spokesman for MacKay said it was the only way to get to the high-level, emergency meeting during a time when Canadian citizens were being evacuated from Lebanon.
Conservative House Leader Peter Van Loan said the government won't apologize for trying to show "leadership on the world stage.''
"We are proud to have them showing a strong face for Canada again around the world.''
