OTTAWA, ON: The Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) is calling on Canada’s Members of Parliament to follow the example of Alberta Premier Alison Redford by banning expense claims for alcohol and putting all their expense receipts online.

Premier Redford announced the toughest rules for expense claims so far in Canada, banning hospitality expense claims for hosting government employees and contractors, banning expense claims for alcohol, and banning business class airfare for flights less than four hours. She also committed Alberta to putting expense receipts online, following the lead of jurisdictions such as the City of Toronto.

The crackdown on expenses followed revelations of lavish spending by the chairman of the board of the University of Calgary as well as a senior executive of Alberta’s health authority.

“It’s time for MPs to come clean with Canadians about how much taxpayer money they’re spending on booze,” said CTF Federal Director Gregory Thomas. “Taxpayers don’t want politicians wasting their money picking up bar tabs for friends and insiders,” Thomas added.

Thomas said the time has long since passed for MPs to make their expense claims, contacts, and receipts available to the public. “We’ll soon be able to look at every receipt from every MLA and senior bureaucrat in Alberta and every Toronto city councilor, but not our own Members of Parliament. It’s ridiculous.”

Canadian MPs claimed $1.3 million in hospitality expenses, according to the most recent public disclosure, but MPs provided no details

Current rules set by the House of Commons Board of Internal Economy allow MPs to charge liquor to the taxpayers’ tab. MPs can spend a maximum of $8,541 to $10,734 on hospitality. Board member Rob Merrifield, an Alberta Conservative MP, racked up the fifth highest tab of 308 MPs, claiming $9,381.34 in hospitality expenses. MP expense claims and receipts are not subject to Access to Information requests.

“Taxpayers deserve to know who is getting wined and dined with their money,” said Thomas. “And with the Harper government running its fifth big budget deficit in a row, maybe it’s time they cut out the wine.”