• Alberta government scrapping policy to post receipts online

LETHBRIDGE, AB: The Canadian Taxpayers Federation is calling on the Alberta government to continue proactively posting expense receipts online after it was reported the government is scrapping the policy.

“Why would the Alberta government want to be less transparent with taxpayers - this is totally baffling,” said Kris Sims, CTF Alberta Director. “This makes it look like the Alberta government has some expenses to hide from taxpayers, the people who are paying the bills.

 “That’s a very bad look.”

The Alberta government has quietly reversed its longstanding policy of proactively posting expense receipts online.

The government posted the changes to the expense policy on Aug. 1, the Friday before the long weekend.

It has been a longstanding policy in Alberta that if a politician or senior official spent more than $100 of taxpayers’ money, they had to provide an itemized receipt, which was then posted online for all to see.

After this policy reversal, journalists and concerned citizens will have to use the freedom of information system to try to find these expense documents with itemized receipts included. 

“Many will remember the $16 glass of orange juice or the $100,000 blown on fancy beef wellington-style airplane food at the federal government level - Alberta taxpayers need to know those details upfront,” said Sims. “Premier Danielle Smith needs to step in and reverse this and make sure there is always full accountability to taxpayers.”

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