REGINA – On Monday, Premier Brad Wall announced the government will be implementing a system for publicly reporting all expenses for out-of-province travel for ministers and government staff who accompany them.
Wall said that the travel reports will be posted semi-annually starting in the new fiscal year which began April 1.
The first reports for travel from April to September 2014 will be posted in October.
The government released a spreadsheet on Monday of all ministers travel costs to date for the 2013-14 fiscal year.
Wall mentioned that the current reporting system is the same one that has been in place under previous governments, but does not automatically pull in the expenses of the minister and other staff who accompanied the minister.
Wall also added that travel is an important part of a minister’s job.
“It’s how we increase exports and build our economy,” Wall said. “It’s how we learn about best practices in other provinces and other countries.
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“Saskatchewan has a great story to tell and we need to be telling Saskatchewan’s story to the world. At the same time, the public has a right to know the cost and purpose of the trip and that their tax dollars are being spent efficiently. This new reporting system will ensure that happens to a greater extent than has ever been the case in Saskatchewan.”
Below is ministers travel expenses from April 1, 2013 to March 31, 2014.
Province making ministers travel expenses available online
New expenses coming to light
It was revealed on Monday that a private car service was also booked for finance minister Ken Krawetz – a total of over $7,000 paid back by the high-ranking government official who booked it.
The Opposition NDP want to know how often this has happened.
“I asked the Premier, ‘Will there be an investigation into the cabinet secretary? Will it extend to other ministers?’ ” Cam Broten told reporters.
University of Regina political scientist Tom McIntosh believes more transparent spending may help prevent the type of expense scandal that recently plagued the former Alberta premier, Alison Redford.
“These things can snowball and take on a life of their own in a way governments can’t predict, so I think the government moved very quickly to fix this situation.”
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