Peter MacKay, Bill Elliott And The High Cost Of Travelling Leaders

UPDATE: Criticism of flying on the public dime may become the least of Peter MacKay's worries. The Defence Minister may have violated the conflict of interest code by visiting a camp owned by the chairman of a Crown corporation during part of a vacation, said Ethics commissioner Mary Dawson Thursday.
Speaking to a Commons committee, Dawson said there "could be come contraventions" in the trip to Marine Atlantic chairman Rob Crosbie's fishing camp, reports The Globe and Mail. The Liberals may launch a formal complaint.
The vacation came under scrutiny after it emerged that a Cormorant search-and-rescue helicopter picked MacKay up from the camp.

Here’s a lesson in belt-tightening that will undoubtedly cost budget-cut consultants less than $90,000 to dispense: When in doubt, fly coach.

While consumers hunt for seat sales as the Porters, WestJets and Air Canadas try to fill up seats, it seems that Ottawa’s flying elite are racking up pricey mileage.

First up is our RCMP Commissioner Bill Elliott, who according to the Toronto Star, enjoyed the services of a private police jet almost 100 times in four years, jetting to Toronto and Montreal.

Reports the Star:

Most of Elliott’s RCMP flights were to domestic destinations, although he also flew to a few international locations — Haiti, California and Florida — via RCMP aircraft.

No costs were disclosed on how much it was to operate the aircraft, the Star reported, but an expert estimated the cost per person would net out to $670. Read more here.

Here’s another lesson, this time to cabinet ministers: When spending public money, try not to be at the top of the list. It gets you in the headlines.

A study of cabinet ministers by The Globe and Mail found that Defence Minister Peter MacKay spent $2.9-million on flights in the last four years.

The Globe pulls apart how much MacKay outspent his colleagues:

Total flying hours for planes transporting Mr. MacKay comprised 17 per cent of hours flown by all ministers in 2008, 34 per cent in 2009 and 60 per cent in 2010. As of June, 2011, jets arranged for him made up 32 per cent of all flights by ministers other than Mr. Harper.

Other cabinet ministers who accumulated a lot of hours in the air include Maxime Bernier (remember him?) and Jim Flaherty. Leona Aglukkaq is on the list, but note that her riding is about 2,090 kilometres from Ottawa.

The extra detail on MacKay comes after it was revealed he used a military helicopter to attend a lobster dinner in his riding in 2010. He was picked up by a military search and rescue helicopter from a fishing holiday. The minister said he was using the helicopter so he could cut his trip short and participate in the military exercise.

“I think as minister of national defence, I should familiarize myself at every opportunity with those who perform these daily heroics," he told the CBC.

The expenses of our flying leaders came into the spotlight with Chief of Defence Staff Gen. Walt Natynczyk, who after being called to a meeting with Stephen Harper, said he’s open to repaying a trip he took to the Caribbean. That trip tallied up to $92,000.

Cost cutters, take note.

Origin
Source: Huffington