The House of Commons' latest report on MPs' hospitality expenses includes meals at steakhouses, a clown and a whole lot of Tim Hortons (314 purchases, to be exact), among many other things.
The Detailed Hospitality Expenditures Report, released June 18, lists hospitality expenses for "food, beverages, catering and service, equipment rentals and/or live entertainment for meetings, non-partisan events and other functions" hosted by an MP. It also includes the location of the event, its purpose and the number of guests.
The document — which is 640 pages long and includes claims from July 1, 2014 to March 31, 2015 — breaks down $1,082,937.64 in expenses.
Here are some strange and/or awesome expense claims:
Who: Rod Bruinooge, MP for Winnipeg South
Cost: $64.14
Where: Winnipeg
Guests: 1
Type of event: Hosting a meeting
Purpose of event: To discuss constituency issues with stakeholders
Who: Cheryl Gallant, MP for Renfrew — Nipissing — Pembroke
Cost: $3.55, $10.50, $0.45
Where: Pembroke, Ont.
Guests: 0
Type of event: Hosting a meeting
Purpose of event: To meet visitors of Member’s office
Who: Kevin Lamoureux, MP for Winnipeg North
Cost: $67.83
Where: Winnipeg
Guests: 5
Type of event: Hosting a reception or open house
Purpose of event: To exchange with dignitaries
Who: Andrew Scheer, MP for Regina—Qu'Appelle
Cost: $654.72
Where: Regina
Guests: 6
Type of event: Hosting a reception or open house
Purpose of event: To meet constituents
Who: Twinkles has been hired by no fewer than three MPs for different events: Bob Dechert (Mississauga—Erindale), Bernard Trottier (Etobicoke—Lakeshore) and Brad Butt (Mississauga—Streetsville)
Cost: $600 total ($200 for each MP)
Where: Etobicoke, Mississauga
Guests: 300 (Dechert and Trottier), 500
Type of event: Hosting a town hall or community event
Purpose of event: To meet constituents
Who: Lisa Raitt, MP for Halton
Cost: $763.02
Where: Toronto
Guests: 6
Type of event: Hosting a staff event
Purpose of event: To plan Member's priorities and activities
(A fundraiser for a Coquitlam arts centre billed as "one part gala, two parts theatrical extravaganza")
Who: Fin Donnelly, MP for New Westminster—Coquitlam
Cost: $83.79
Where: Port Moody
Guests: 0
Type of event: Attend a gala, reception or ceremony
Purpose of event: To celebrate a significant event
Who: Alex Atamanenko, MP for British Columbia Southern Interior
Cost: $258.10
Where: Castlegar
Guests: 2
Type of event: Hosting a meeting
Purpose of event: To meet constituents
Who: Richard Harris, MP for Cariboo—Prince George
Cost: $26.46
Where: Kelowna
Guests: 1
Type of event: Hosting a meeting
Purpose of event:To meet constituents
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