The territorial government is promising to be “more rigorous” with ministers’ travel expense claims.
That’s after David Ramsay – the minister of justice and industry, tourism and investment – was found to owe almost $200 in expenses he shouldn’t have claimed.
Ministerial expense reports obtained by News/North earlier this month showed Ramsay had claimed, according to the newspaper, for use of a rental car and accommodation while attending a wedding.
That had come after a government trip to Ottawa in February. Ramsay told the paper the wedding was “an opportunity to get together with some key figures” and an economical use of his duty travel time, rather than returning to the NWT between southern-based meetings.
Ramsay reportedly expensed more than $1,000 to attend the event, including a hotel and a luxury Audi A4 rental car.
A territorial government statement said a review of Ramsay’s expense claims from the period, instigated at his own request, discovered “a small number of the expenses claimed didn’t meet the criteria set out in the government’s duty travel policy”.
As a result, Ramsay has repaid $192.97 originally claimed for per diems and incidentals.
Now, the Department of Finance is promising “a more rigorous review of all deputy minister and ministerial travel claims”.
The government says any ineligible claims will be removed prior to reimbursement, and anything outside government policy will be clearly indicated and explained to the person making the claim.
