Canadian Senators' Lavish Hospitality Expenses Under Fire
OTTAWA — The Canadian Senate, often described as a chamber for "sober, second thought," is facing intense scrutiny after a recent report exposed significant taxpayer-funded spending on hospitality, including fine dining, events, and alcohol. The Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) has highlighted these expenses, calling for stricter oversight and accountability.
Hospitality Spending Soars by 67% in One Year
In the 2024/25 fiscal year, individual senators expensed a total of $116,100 on hospitality, a sharp 67% increase from the $69,699 reported the previous year. According to the CTF, this category includes meals, receptions, refreshments, gifts, and protocol items related to parliamentary functions. Franco Terrazzano, a spokesperson for the CTF, criticized the spending, stating, "It's probably hard for senators to provide that sober second thought when they're spending thousands on booze." He added, "Senators just jacked up their hospitality bill 67% in one year, and I bet most Canadians don't think the Senate is providing 67% more value."
Notable Expenses and High-Spending Senators
The CTF report detailed several specific expenditures that have raised eyebrows:
- Alcohol purchases: Since 2019, senators have spent $27,000 on alcohol, with additional high costs from other government departments.
- Fine dining: Senators frequently visited Le St-Estèphe, a French restaurant in Gatineau, Quebec, where $20,583 was spent over the years.
- Individual senators: Ontario Senator Yvonne Boyer led the pack with $15,000 in hospitality charges since 2019, including $8,000 on gifts. Manitoba Senator Marilou McPhedran spent $377 in a single day at the Chateau Laurier and $623.35 for a business meeting at Toronto's Aga Khan Museum. Newfoundland and Labrador Senator Mohamed-Iqbal Ravalia spent $1,000 on a 20-person business meeting at an Indian restaurant in St. John's.
Requests for comment from these senators by media outlets went unanswered, adding to the controversy.
Broader Concerns Over Taxpayer-Funded Waste
This issue is part of a larger pattern of questionable spending by Canadian government entities. For instance, Global Affairs Canada spent $3.3 million on alcohol since 2019, averaging about $51,000 per month. Specific examples include:
- Canada's embassy in Washington, D.C., spent $56,684 on wine from a special store.
- The mission in Oslo made an $8,074 bulk alcohol purchase in October 2020.
- Diplomats in Iceland spent $8,074 on booze in January 2020, followed by another $2,849 purchase less than two months later.
Additionally, federal bureaucrats allocated $8 million to rent artwork from the Canada Council Art Bank, a repository of over 17,000 pieces for office decoration.
Calls for Action and Accountability
Terrazzano emphasized the need for intervention, urging Prime Minister Mark Carney to address these expenses. "Just because it's called the Red Chamber, it doesn't mean senators should be driving Canadian taxpayers further into the red," he said. "Prime Minister Mark Carney needs to crack down on these frivolous and wasteful expenses." The CTF's findings have reignited debates about transparency and responsible use of public funds, with many Canadians demanding greater oversight to prevent such spending in the future.
