Angry in the Great White North

Defence Minister Peter MacKay spent Christmas with Canada's troops in Afghanistan.  Conservative Peter MacKay is pretty familiar with Kandahar, having spent time there in his previous job as Foreign Minister.

Back in May, then Foreign Minister Peter MacKay went to Kandahar to visit the troops as well as government officials.  He was accompanied with Liberal MP Bryon Wilfert and NDP MP Alexa McDonough.

The cost of the trip is available at the Foreign Affairs website.

Hon. Peter G. MacKay,  Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
Purpose: Trip to Afghanistan (Kandahar and Kabul - accommodation stayed on military base)
Date(s): 2006-05-07 to 2006-05-11
Destination(s): Kandahar and Kabul, Afghanistan
Air fare: $8,182.33
Other Transportation: $0.00
Accommodation: $0.00
Meals and Incidentals: $93.75
Other: $0.00
Total: $8,276.08

Hon. Bryon Wilfert,  Member of Parliament
Purpose: Accompany Minister MacKay to Kandahar and Dubai for bilateral visit
Date(s): 2006-05-07 to 2006-05-11
Destination(s): Kandahar and Dubai
Air fare: $10,897.88
Other Transportation: $0.00
Accommodation: $0.00
Meals and Incidentals: $88.72
Other: $0.00
Total: $10,986.60

Alexa McDonough,  Member of Parliament
Purpose: Accompany Minister MacKay to Kandahar and Dubai for bilateral visit
Date(s): 2006-05-07 to 2006-05-11
Destination(s): Kandahar and Dubai
Air fare: $10,868.33
Other Transportation: $0.00
Accommodation: $0.00
Meals and Incidentals: $72.90
Other: $0.00
Total: $10,941.23

Amazing, isn't it?  It's almost a joke. 

A Conservative, a Liberal, and a Dipper go on on trip...

Here's the punchline.  A Liberal spends 33% more, and the NDP MP 32% more.

So what's the difference between a Liberal expense account and an NDP expense account?  It's so fractional, you can't really say they'll all that different.

Remember how upset the opposition was about not getting a taxpayer-paid trip to Bali to tell everyone how bad the Conservatives were on dealing with global warming?  I wonder if they were more upset that they would actually be expected to be especially careful with the money spent, being party funds and not "free money" supplied by you and me.