Redford's $131K travel bill includes private trip to London

The bill for Alison Redford's final trip as premier ofAlberta has come in at $131,000 and includes taxpayer-funded
flights to London for a private weekend getaway.

Overall costs for the two-week January trip were releasedWednesday by the International and Intergovernmental Relations Department. Itemized receipts are to be posted online next month.

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The trade mission and networking trip to India and Switzerlandincluded a stopover for private time in London that was not on theoriginal itinerary.

Redford had planned to visit Canadian troops in Afghanistan fortwo days, but that was cancelled due to a flare-up of violence.

Instead, Redford, her chief of staff Farouk Adatia and Redfordaide Brad Stables flew to London for the weekend at taxpayerexpense, said Derek Cummings, press secretary for the department.

He said the flight costs were considered government businessbecause Redford was still in the middle of her trip and her travelplans changed due to events beyond her control.

"They wouldn't have flown home (at that time)."

All other expenses for London were covered by the participantspersonally, Cummings said.

NDP critic Rachel Notley suggested Redford could have thought oftaxpayers first and stayed in India a couple more days when theAfghanistan trip changed.

"There's no rationale for the citizens of Alberta to be payingfor a shopping spree in London," said Notley.

"This is a government so deeply enmeshed in its sense ofentitlement that they don't see the irony, given they're (also)
going about trying to take resources away from middle-classAlbertans every day.=

Redford quit as premier last week amid escalating revelations oflavish spending on herself and her inner circle, including a $45,000trip to Nelson Mandela's funeral and government plane trips for herdaughter's friends.

The final bill of $131,000 is $11,000 more than budgeted due tounexpected hosting expenses, said Cummings.

Much of the bill -- about $101,000 -- paid to fly Redford, twomembers of the legislature and four members of Redford's innercircle to India, around India and beyond.

Another $19,500 went to accommodations and $497 was claimed forfood.

In India, Redford's team signed a memorandum of understanding anda statement of co-operation to increase agriculture trade.The trip was value for money, said Cummings.

"If you talk to the companies that were there, if you look atthe agricultural agreements we were able to sign, promoting the new(trade) office in Delhi, the meetings that were held, it was asuccessful mission."

The trip included 45 delegates representing 20 Alberta companies.

Cummings said the food bill was low because much of the mealswere provided at events and receptions.

After nine days in and around India, most of the team went home.Adatia flew home after London, leaving Redford and Stables totravel to Davos, Switzerland, for the World Economic Forum.

In Davos, Redford met and networked with global leaders and saidshe had a chance to talk to former U.S. vice-president and oilsandscritic Al Gore.

During the trip, Redford's office announced that Alberta wouldhost a World Economic Forum conference of its own in Lake Louise inApril.

The event, which was to discuss climate change, was cancelledWednesday due to Redford's sudden departure.

"Both parties feel that, given the present context, the time isnot ripe for such a meeting," said the Alberta government in a newsrelease.

The Opposition Wildrose party has said a source told it the forumhit the ditch because organizers were upset Redford's office hadadvertised the event before it had been formally approved.

Notley agreed.

"It was always a publicity stunt and it was announcedirresponsibly in order to justify in part (Redford's) trip to Davosin the first place," she said.

Redford ended her term as premier Sunday when former deputypremier Dave Hancock was sworn in to replace her.

When she announced her resignation March 19, she said caucusdiscontent over her spending and other issues was making itimpossible to carry on the business of government.