OTTAWA -- Minister of Fisheries and Oceans Gail Shea has ordered her deputy minister to investigate reports of "excessive spending" by one of her officials.
The investigation comes a day after Sun Media revealed Lorraine (Lori) Ridgeway, director general for international policy and integration for the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans, spent more than $400,000 on 51 trips around the world in three years to attend workshops and meetings.
Meanwhile, opposition MPs say they may call Ridgeway before a House of Commons committee to explain what taxpayers got in return for the travel expenses racked up during 488 days of travel.
Documents released under Access to Information showed that Ridgeway's globe-trotting included exotic stops in Bali, Indonesia; New Caledonia and Australia's Gold Coast as well as cities such as New York, Paris and Rome.
While abroad Ridgeway, whose job entails promoting and advancing Canada's position internationally on fisheries and oceans, checked into luxury hotels and seaside resorts such as the Shangri-la in Bangkok and The Patra Bali Resort and Villas.
TAXIS AND DRY-CLEANING
Flights for the three years cost $195,411, hotels were $106,490 and meals were $36,444. Incidental costs, such as taxis and dry-cleaning, drove the total tab over $400,000.
"Where is the business case to justify this kind of outrageous waste?" said Kevin Gaudet, federal director of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation. "It shows a callous disregard for the money she's spending."
Liberal fisheries critic Gerry Byrne says the looming threat of a ban of Canadian seal products from the EU raises questions as to what Canada received in return for the expenses.
"We expect to be able to call this particular person as a witness to explain why it is that we have allowed this to occur," said Byrne.
NDP fisheries critic Peter Stoffer said he was shocked by the expense tab for an official he has never heard of.
"I sure would love to know what reports or analysis we got for that work. I haven't seen anything across my desk and I've been the fisheries critic for 12 years now," said Stoffer.
An official in the minister's office said the government was taking the issue seriously and that policies were in place to ensure staff are "as economical as possible" with travel expenses.
"The minister is concerned with any suggestions of excessive spending and this is something she is following up with the deputy minister," said Ann Matejicka, director of communications for the minister's office.
