CBC head pressed by MPs over billing $6K for Paris Olympics stay

CBC president Catherine Tait claimed $6,000 in expenses for attending the Paris Olympics. Tait told MPs questioning the costs that she was at the Games in an official capacity

The head of the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. is facing scrutiny from members of a House of Commons committee for her roughly $6,000 worth of travel and hotel expenses at the Paris Olympics this past summer.

Catherine Tait, CBC president and chief executive officer, was pressed by MPs on the standing committee on Canadian heritage on Monday about her trip to France, which included a four-night stay at a five-star hotel in Paris.

Tait told the committee she was in France on a “personal trip” during the Olympic Games, but during that time she was also working for CBC/Radio-Canada, which was the official broadcaster of the Games in Canada.

Tait dismissed claims that she charged tax payers for her personal trip.

“I made it very clear why I was in Paris as CEO at the Olympic Games, one of the most important events where Canada performed spectacularly,” Tait said.

According to a proactive disclosure of her travel expenses, Tait travelled to the French capital for “business meetings and business event” during the Paris Olympics from July 25 to 29.

The document shows that Tait billed a total of $5,869,37 to the CBC for her stay in Paris.

This included $3,955.38 for lodging, $873.41 for meals and incidentals as well as $344.21 for transportation.