New Democrat MP Nathan Cullen spent more on travel than any other MP this year, spending $228,603 to fly across Canada and trek around his sprawling British Columbia riding.
At the other extreme was Conservative MP Gordon O'Connor, who spent a mere $6,600 in travel -- the least among sitting MPs. While O'Connor's riding lies just west of Ottawa, his costs pale compared to the $28,553 chocked up by fellow Conservative MP Royal Galipeau, whose riding lies in the east-end of the city.
An analysis by Sun Media of documents tabled in the House of Commons shows a wide discrepancy in the travel costs MPs charged to taxpayers during the past year. And while the figures don't include many categories of travel such as travel by cabinet ministers related to their jobs, travel by parliamentary committees and international conferences, it does give a glimpse of who is racking up the frequent flyer miles at taxpayers expense.
For example, NDP Leader Jack Layton, whose riding lies in downtown Toronto, was the third largest spending MP with $219,667 in travel costs -- only $14,737 of it came out of the member's office budget for travel around the riding.
His wife, NDP MP Olivia Chow, who also represents an urban Toronto riding, spent $76,458.
Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff, who represents a suburban Toronto riding, charged for $150,174 in travel while Bloc Quebecois leader Gilles Duceppe, whose riding lies in downtown Montreal, spent $90,626.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper charged only $27,492 worth of travel to the House of Commons but much of his travel is tied to his position as prime minister and comes out of other budgets.
Overall, Conservatives dominated the top 20 list, occupying 11 of the top 20 positions. Most of the Liberals on the list, such as fourth place spender Todd Russell and sixth place Dominic LeBlanc, represent ridings in Atlantic Canada.
Only one Bloc Quebecois MP made it to the top 20 list. Raynald Blais, whose riding sprawls across the eastern Quebec region of the Gaspe and the Iles de la Madeleine, chocked up $184,070.
While many of those who spent the most represent remote and isolated ridings, there were significant cost differences between MPs in far flung ridings. NDP MP Dennis Bevington, who represents the Northwest Territories spent $213,682 while Liberal Larry Bagnell, MP for the Yukon, charged $115,468.
