OTTAWA - As Bev Oda rides off into the political sunset, the former international development minister known for her lavish tastes will start collecting her hefty MP's pension.
"Oda starts collecting her parliamentary pension on August 1 at the rate of $52,183 a year," Canadian Taxpayers Federation federal director Gregory Thomas said.
Since Oda is 67, the CTF says she'll have collected almost $700,000 in benefits by age 80 despite contributing only about $130,000.
While Oda was successful in shepherding Canada's child and maternal health initiative and boosting oversight of international aid spending, she was also surrounded by controversy.
Oda had to repay taxpayers for a $16 orange juice, $1,000 per day limo expenses, and her pricy stay at London's Savoy Hotel in 2011.
QMI Agency was first to report Oda also charged taxpayers for an office air purifier so she could smoke without detection.
"The saddest thing about Bev Oda's departure from Ottawa is her willingness to use taxpayer dollars to cover for her smoking habit," Thomas said. "As they used to say in Ottawa, where there's smoke, there's Bev Oda."
On July 3, Oda announced she'd leave politics at the end of the month.
Julian Fantino has moved from associate defence minister to the international development portfolio.
