Premier to review policies in wake of criticism over tourism spending

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Premier Blaine Higgs plans to review government policies in part due to a $42,000 European trip his tourism minister took on the taxpayers’ dime last September to drum up business for the province.

Opposition MLAs hammered Tourism Minister Tammy Scott-Wallace about the necessity of the Sept. 8 to 15 trip during her two-day appearance before a legislative committee this week.

Liberal MLA and tourism critic Isabelle Thériault went so far as label the trip “a vacation with a few meetings here and there to justify” it.

“I’m asking questions too (about the trip) and I want to understand what our policies are because sometimes policies can just be better defined so that we all ensure that taxpayers’ money is used to the most efficient manner, so we’re going to ask those questions,” Higgs said during his appearance before the committee Wednesday afternoon.

Scott-Wallace was joined by Deputy Tourism Minister Yennah Hurley and two other staff members on the trip to the United Kingdom and France. The group met with several tour operators and publicity firms who do business with the province, but they also visited the British Museum, Windsor Castle and the Palace of Versailles to gather “best practices” for the province’s own heritage sites.

In a tense exchange before committee Tuesday, Scott-Wallace justified the value of this out-of-country trip, citing a 23 per cent increase in tourists to New Brunswick from the United Kingdom and a 12 per cent increase from France in 2023 compared to the year prior.

Scott-Wallace also claimed the province secured 2024-25 contracts with all of the stakeholders it met with while in Europe.

“That’s a good day’s work and that’s a good seven days’ work for me, I’ll tell you that,” Scott-Wallace quipped Tuesday.

Brunswick News asked the Department of Tourism, Heritage and Culture for the total value of those contracts. In response, department spokesperson Morgan Bell said the department’s “investment” in those contracts is $90,000.

“The results of our work in these markets are 243,600 visitors to New Brunswick from France and the United Kingdom resulting in $29.8 million in revenue to the province,” Bell said in an email.

On Wednesday, the department confirmed the total cost of the trip was $42,000. Scott-Wallace, who was on the trip for seven days, claimed $10,199 in air fare, lodging and other bills tied to the getaway, according to 2023 expense reports. Meanwhile, Hurley expensed more than $12,000, including more than $3,200 for her stay at the Trafalgar Hotel in London.

On Tuesday, Scott-Wallace repeatedly pointed out other tourism ministers routinely make out-of-country trips to drum up business. She also noted no such trips are included in her department’s 2024-25 budget.

“My conscience is clear when it comes to my expenses around these trips, and I hope that no tourism minister going forward is ever discouraged from doing their job and inviting visitors and attracting visitors to this incredible province,” she said.

Even if such out-of-country trips like that one have taken place in the past, Higgs said Wednesday that “it doesn’t mean that’s right and it doesn’t mean that I condone it.”

Deputy tourism minister charges more than $19K for move

The premier also found himself vowing to review policies due to criticism over the province’s deputy tourism minister charging taxpayers for her moving expenses.

Green party Leader David Coon slammed Wednesday the province’s relocation policy that left taxpayers covering $15,000 worth of realtor fees for Hurley to move to Fredericton from Quispamsis last year.

“The taxpayers of this province should not be paying the realtor costs of public servants when they sell their homes,” Coon said.

Hurley expensed a total of $19,321.17 worth of moving costs, realtor fees and legal bills under the province’s relocation policy, according to 2023 expense reports filed with the province.

Scott-Wallace defended the expenses, while Hurley sat beside her, under questioning from opposition MLAs. The minister repeatedly stated the province’s relocation policy was followed in the case of Hurley, who has been deputy minister since 2020 but only relocated to Fredericton from Quispamsis in 2023.

The policy allows for government employees to recoup moving costs if they’re being transferred.

“There wasn’t a change made to the policy to accommodate this move,” Scott-Wallace said. “I think it’s completely unfair that there should have been a different policy considered perhaps for the deputy minister of tourism, heritage and culture.

“This is a policy that has been accepted and used for years with governments of both colours.”

Under questioning from Coon, Scott-Wallace indicated “all” Government of New Brunswick employees are covered by the policy, but Higgs later clarified only senior government officials are eligible to be reimbursed for moving expenses – a perk that is often found in the private sector.

Eligible moving expenses covered by the government policy include obligations of current tenancy, realty agency costs, first mortgage penalties, legal fees, house hunting trips, temporary living expenses, incidental expenses, mobile home expenses, transfer taxes, survey certificates, appraisals and storage.

Under questioning from Coon, Scott-Wallace wouldn’t say whether Hurley would be eligible for moving expenses again if she relocated following the provincial election scheduled for this fall.

In light of the discussion about Hurley’s bills, Higgs said Wednesday the province would “evaluate what other provinces do and what the right thing to do is” because it wants to be “prudent with taxpayers’ dollars.”

Hurley expensed about $76,000 worth of air and taxi fares, hotel stays, meals, moving bills and other charges to the province in 2023, according to expense reports. By comparison, Premier Blaine Higgs expensed about $52,000.