The Canadian government should fund more foreign travel for MPs, according to former foreign affairs minister and Vancouver MP David Emerson.
“I don’t like it when foreign governments fund MPs’ travel,” Emerson told Business in Vancouver. “I think the government of Canada should be funding it. I think foreign trade missions are important enough that where there’s legitimate business travel and a legitimate purpose, that it should be funded by our government and not foreign governments."
Emerson was responding to media reports that between 2005 and 2009, MPs, their spouses and staff received nearly $2 million worth of free travel and gifts from foreign nationals and lobby groups.
During that five-year period, MPs took:
But, while Emerson supports increased funding for foreign travel, he thinks backbench MPs should be travelling only when they’re alongside government representatives.
“Otherwise, you tend to get too many voices with too many views and it starts to undercut the country’s own message. I’m not an advocate of that.”
Emerson added that trips such as the trade mission to China that Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson is heading are also valuable.
The mission landed its first deal September 9 when the City of Vancouver, Cisco Systems Inc. (Nasdaq:CSCO) and Vancouver energy management company Pulse Energy Inc. signed a deal to manage energy use in various city buildings, including city hall.
“Trade missions have to have a focus and purpose,” Emerson said. “You have to have a strategic agenda to pursue with the right companies and government officials or you’re going to lose out on a lot of the potential benefit.”
Emerson now chairs an economic strategy council for the premier of Alberta and the Energy Policy Institute of Canada. He also co-chairs the prime minister’s advisory committee on the public service.