Travel on the taxpayer’s dime is still in style ( Analysis )

As the country continued its climb out of a recession in 2010, the mining boom and steady federal cash transfers kept things business-as-usual for the Yukon government.

As the country continued its climb out of a recession in 2010, the mining boom and steady federal cash transfers kept things business-as-usual for the Yukon government.

For our 18 elected lawmakers, who collectively eclipsed expense claims made the year previous by more than $33,000, the gravy train kept on rolling for them as well.

NDP Leader Liz Hanson, YP-Porter Creek North MLA Jim Kenyon (the former Economic Development minister), YP-Porter Creek Centre MLA Archie Lang (Minister of Community Services) and YP-Whitehorse West MLA Elaine Taylor (deputy premier and Tourism minister) claimed no expenses.

The remaining 14 members of the legislative assembly combined to bill taxpayers $316,719.79 for transportation, meals and accommodations.

Once again, the big three expense account jockeys were the same as in 2009 – YP-Klondike MLA Steve Nordick, Lib-Kluane MLA Gary McRobb and Lib-Mayo-Tatchun MLA Eric Fairclough.

The trio do represent remote ridings and racked up plenty of constituency travel, but as in years previous, two of the three managed to bill expenses in excess of the average salaries of Yukoners and Canadians.

Last year, Nordick took top spot with more than $51,000 in expenses; however, McRobb edged out last year’s expense account champ by billing taxpayers $56,269.84 for the 2010 fiscal year.

But the Yukon Party’s representative in placer gold country made it a race in 2010, charging taxpayers $55,131.49 for his trips between Dawson City and Whitehorse, rent and sundries.

Fairclough was a distant third, claiming $44,756.69 in expenses for 2010.

As of February, the average annual salary in the territory was $49,064.60 and nationwide, that figure was $45,186.96.

Notably, Darius Elias, the Liberal MLA for Vuntut Gwitchin – the most remote of the Yukon’s 18 ridings – charged $25,364.22 in travel and housing expenses.

Elected members whose constituencies are outside Whitehorse are permitted to claim $1,089 a month for rent – not to be used for paying a mortgage – to an annual maximum of $13,068.

Those MLAs who charged the maximum include Premier Dennis Fentie (YP-Watson Lake), Justice minister Marian Horne (YP-Pelly-Nisutlin), Elias, Fairclough, McRobb and Nordick.

Mileage for travel between Whitehorse and individual constituencies can be billed at 59.5 cents per kilometre.

This makes a roundtrip between the Klondike and the capital for Nordick worth $640.22.

Shuttling between Haines Junction and Whitehorse earns McRobb $355.11, and each time the premier does a roundtrip between his Watson Lake riding and the corner office, it costs taxpayers $540.26.

In February, the Star learned that high school students travelling between Whitehorse and rural communities to attend class could claim just $13 for a one-way journey, or $26 for a roundtrip.

When the Star reported this comparison, there was not a peep from MLAs about the inequity, but with the rising cost of housing and rental rates in Whitehorse, expect some rumblings in the future about increasing the amount MLAs can claim for accommodations.

Any and all expenses claimed by MLAs are in addition to their base pay, which increased to $65,000 in 2007 and is indexed to inflation each year.

Members of the legislature are also paid $13,056, tax-free, for expenses not included as either travel or accommodation.

Additionally, ministers and the Leader of the official Opposition are compensated an additional $36,557 and the premier gets another $15,667, as does the leader of the third party.

The house Speaker is paid an extra $15,667 annually.