Toronto: The Canadian Taxpayers Federation today sent a letter to MPPs Norm Sterling, Michael Prue, and Monique Smith, questioning proposed travel expenditures of the provincial All-Party Committee on Electoral Reform. The letter asks that these expenses be reviewed, if not cancelled altogether.

The text of the letter is reproduced below and will be posted to the CTF website at www.taxpayer.com

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MPP LETTER

August 10, 2005



MPP Norm Sterling
MPP Michael Prue
MPP Monique Smith

Re: Expenses for the Committee on Electoral Reform


Dear Mssrs. Sterling and Prue, and Ms. Smith,

As one of the groups making a presentation to the all-party Committee on Electoral Reform, and as the watchdog for Ontario taxpayers in general, the Canadian Taxpayers Federation would like to express our concern about proposed spending by the Committee reported in today's Toronto Star.

As reported by columnist Ian Urquhart, it appears that the Committee is planning a "23-day, round-the-world tour next month to study electoral systems in other countries. As tentatively agreed to, the trip will take the nine-member committee and three or four staffers to British Columbia, New Zealand, Australia, Germany, Scotland and Ireland." Mr. Urquhart estimates the cost of this trip to be in the neighbourhood of $200,000.

On behalf of our supporters and Ontario taxpayers, we seriously question the usefulness of this expenditure. It is unclear what benefit taxpayers will receive from it and we strongly advise that it be reconsidered.

The Committee is already holding two days of public hearings August 31 and September 1, at Queen's Park. Many of the groups presenting, such as Fair Vote Canada and others, are well acquainted with the electoral systems of other countries. Alternatively, it would be less costly to bring in experts from those countries to Queen's Park than to fly all nine committee members and their staff around the world at taxpayers' expense. When British Columbia reviewed its electoral system last year, experts were brought in but there was no budgetary authority for foreign travel.

Furthermore, the Committee is to report to the Legislature by November 3, 2005. It is not clear whether the government will have received the Committee's advice before setting the terms of reference for the Citizens' Assembly on Electoral Reform which will be charged with reviewing proposed reforms in Ontario. Spending any amount of taxpayers' money on a report which will not be put to use in this process is totally unacceptable.

After speaking with the clerk of the Committee, Ms. Anne Stokes, it is our understanding that no travel plans have been finalized. We would appreciate knowing when this decision will be made and, if the trip is not scrapped, evidence that it is the most cost-effective way of apprising the Committee of the electoral systems of other countries and that its findings will be incorporated into the mandate given to the Citizens' Assembly.


Sincerely,


Tasha Kheiriddin
CTF Ontario Director