OTTAWA — He travelled to foreign destinations ranging from New Delhi to Copenhagen — 15 trips in one year. So just how much did it cost Canadian taxpayers to send Prime Minister Stephen Harper and his aides abroad?
Nearly $7 million in 2009-10, according to documents tabled in Parliament Thursday.
To be exact — $6,904,790.
It was a busy year for Harper. With the global recession raging, there were international conferences with other politicians in the G20 to plot an economic strategy. Then there were the routine gatherings of world leaders in the G8, NATO, APEC and the Commonwealth.
Not to mention foreign trips to China and India, the two emerging economic powerhouses Canada wants to do more trade with.
Harper's press secretary, Andrew MacDougall, said Thursday that the prime minister aims to get results when he travels abroad.
"It's important that Canada's voice is heard," said MacDougall.
"Yes, these things do cost money but we do remember that we are at the service of the taxpayer and that we bring back results that we can point to and say, 'This is what we accomplished on behalf of all Canadians.'"
MacDougall said it was critical for Harper to meet other leaders as they met "to keep the global economy on track," and that his trip to China led to a new Chinese policy that will see more tourists from that country visiting Canada.
On his foreign trips, Harper is accompanied by a crew of aides that varies in size. There is always a core group from the Prime Minister's Office and Privy Council Office, as well as more bureaucrats from key departments, particularly Foreign Affairs. Sometimes, Harper brings MPs on the journey.
Here are the trips from 2009-10:
- Strasbourg, France, to attend the NATO summit. ($129,769)
- Port of Spain and Jamaica to attend the Summit of the Americas in Trinidad and Tobago and then visit to Jamaica. ($446,419)
- London, England, to attend the G20 Summit. ($247,770)
- Aquila, Italy, to attend the G8 summit and visit Rome. ($769,325)
- Singapore, Mumbai, New Delhi and Amritsar to attend the APEC summit in Singapore and make visits to India. ($1,365,920)
- Prague to attend the Canada-European Union Summit. ($249,752)
- Guadalajara, Mexico and Panama City to attend the North American Leaders Summit and visit Panama. ($320,738)
- Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago to attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting. ($531,278)
- New York City and Pittsburgh to attend the G20 summit. ($298,136)
- Normandy, France, to attend the D-Day anniversary. ($275,224)
- Davos, Switzerland, to attend the World Economic Forum. ($606,959)
- New York City to attend a session of the United Nations General Assembly. ($181,291)
- Washington and New York City for meetings and media interviews. ($225,054)
- Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong and Seoul for meetings with foreign leaders. ($856,737)
- Copenhagen to attend a climate change conference in Denmark. ($400,418)
Read more: http://www.vancouversun.com/business/Harper+trips+cost+taxpayers+nearly+million/3742951/story.html#ixzz13iUExXW5
