Opposition questions Sask. cabinet minister's transportation tab in Paris
CBC
Saskatchewan's Opposition NDP is asking why cabinet minister Dustin Duncan spent $3,500 on a car service while visiting tourist attractions on a recent government trip to Paris.
"I don't know how this minister says 'no' to gas tax relief and then turns around and bills taxpayers for his private tour through Paris," said Opposition critic for SaskPower Aleana Young.
"This is another example of how entitled and out of touch the Sask. Party is."
Duncan recently traveled to Paris to attend the World Nuclear Exhibition from Nov. 28 to 30, to "showcase the province's nuclear capabilities and opportunities on the international stage." Duncan flew to Paris on Nov. 27 and left on Dec. 1.
Duncan is the minister responsible for SaskPower, which is in the process of evaluating a potential small modular nuclear reactor to add to the province's power grid in the next decade.
On Tuesday, the Opposition released invoices showing the bill for five days of a Mercedes car service for Duncan cost €2,347.30, or about $3,500 Cdn.
Young said the travel log showed at 2:30 p.m. on Nov. 29, Duncan was picked up at Hôtel des Invalides, the location of the tomb of Napoleon. Young said that according to Duncan's schedule, he should have been touring pavillions at the nuclear expo, an hour's drive from Napoleon's tomb.
Young said the car service also stopped at the Arc de Triomphe.
Duncan travelled with his chief of staff, a vice president of Crown Investments Corporation and a representative from the province's UK office.
According to the bill for the car service, Duncan and his delegation made the trip to the Arc de Triomphe at 10:30 p.m.
Duncan told reporters that was an agreed pick-up point following a dinner meeting in Paris.
Opposition Leader Carla Beck raised the car service spending during question period on Tuesday afternoon.
"Does the premier think it's appropriate for the taxpayers to pick up the tab for the minister's sightseeing tour of Paris?"
Moe said that when the NDP was in power it took more trips than the government currently does and defended Duncan's work in Paris.
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