A Manitoba senator billed taxpayers thousands of dollars travelling to a conference where she needed permission to speak and couldn’t vote because Canada isn’t even a member of the organization.

Senator Gigi Osler is Manitoba’s highest-spending senator and the 11th highest in Canada.

“Manitobans are fighting to afford the basics like food and fuel, so it’s a slap in the face to see an unelected Senator blowing tens of thousands of dollars on international travel,” said Gage Haubrich, CTF Prairie Director. “Senators are not elected or accountable and when we see waste like this it shows why we need to abolish the undemocratic and expensive Senate in Ottawa.”

Osler spent $60,595 on seven international trips between January 2023 and March 2026, according to records obtained by the CTF.

Osler travelled to France twice, Uzbekistan, Australia, the Philippines and the United States twice.

Osler billed taxpayers $17,582 for two trips to Strasbourg, France, in 2025 to attend the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE). 

Canada is not a member of the council. Canadian parliamentarians participate in its assembly as observers, where they can only speak with permission from the president and cannot vote.

PACE sessions are also live-streamed and viewable online from anywhere in the world.

Osler didn’t actually deliver a speech and just submitted written remarks on history education during the January session, according to PACE’s published transcripts. She delivered three other speeches on diversity and inclusion, long COVID and gender equality during the January and June sessions.

Parliament also sent elected MPs on both trips. MPs Stéphane Bergeron and Francesco Sorbara attended the January session, while Lianne Rood and Salma Zahid attended the June session.

The January delegation also billed taxpayers $1,686 for a luncheon for 15 people at the Council of Europe. That works out to about $112 per person. The June delegation billed taxpayers another $171 for “maple syrup and candies” from the Parliamentary Boutique.

“What this senator blew on globe-trotting these past few years is close to what the average Manitoban earns annually, it’s outrageous,” Haubrich said.  “The Senate is undemocratic, it costs way too much and attempts to reform it have failed, so it’s time to abolish the Senate in Ottawa.”

Osler billed taxpayers $15,150 for a six-day trip to Sydney, Australia, in November 2024, for a parliamentary conference. She participated in a debate on “fake news and synthetic media.” Parliament also sent three elected MPs, Alexandra Mendès, Marie-Hélène Gaudreau and Richard Cannings. The delegation cost taxpayers $71,569.

Osler went to New York in 2023 and 2024 to attend parliamentary meetings. During the 2023 trip, Osler discussed the benefits of hybrid parliamentary sittings. The same parliamentary group regularly holds meetings and workshops by videoconference. Osler went in person both times and billed taxpayers $4,677.

Osler billed taxpayers $12,075 for a trip to Manila, Philippines, in November 2023, for the Asia-Pacific Parliamentary Forum. Parliament also sent three elected MPs, Terry Sheehan, Han Dong and Yves Perron. The delegation cost taxpayers $99,253.

Manitoba senators billed taxpayers $66,445 for international travel between January 2023 and March 2026, according to the records.