(Ottawa) A New Democrat MP has refunded some of the thousands of dollars she spent on a Christmas trip for her and her family paid for with public funds.
Federal New Democrats say Manitoba MP Niki Ashton returned $2,900 to the House of Commons administration, part of the more than $17,000 cost of a Christmas Day trip to Quebec , followed by a visit to Montreal.
Public spending shows that Mme Ashton, her husband and two children flew from her northern Manitoba riding to Ottawa on Dec. 21, 2022.
A day earlier, her Ottawa apartment had been infested with bedbugs, prompting her and her family to travel to the capital to deal with the “urgent” situation, Ms.me Ashton in a statement.
The MP did not respond to an interview request. The story of her travels was first reported by CBC News.
Travel reports tabled in the House of Commons show that Mr.me Ashton, her husband and children left Ottawa for Quebec City on Christmas Day “to meet with stakeholders on House business.”
Five days later, they traveled to Montreal for the same reason. On December 31, the family returned to Ottawa, where they stayed for a few days before returning to Thompson, Manitoba.
Mme Ashton charged $17,641.12 for the trip, including $13,619.90 for transportation, $2,508.39 for lodging and $1,512.83 for meals and incidentals. No details were provided on the $2,900 she returned.
Photos from the trip she posted to her Instagram account show the family sightseeing in Quebec City, including skating and a visit to a Christmas market.
“Thank you for an unforgettable visit,” she wrote in one of the captions of her photos. Thank you to progressive activists for sharing their inspiring work. Thank you to everyone who shared their culture, history and city with us. »
Mme Ashton didn’t say who she met on her Christmas trip and doesn’t plan to name names.
Churchill-Keewatinook MP Aski said she refunded the money “to protect the privacy of the people I met and to ensure they were not subjected to similar abuse.”
Following reports of his trip, Mr.me Ashton alleged that she and her family were subjected to death threats, harassment and verbal abuse.
“This trip approved by the House of Commons has become a distraction from the important work that New Democrats are doing for Canadians,” she said. My team and I are focused on supporting people in northern and Indigenous communities who are so often left without the resources they need. »