The Senate has implemented stricter regulations regarding language immersion trips following a report by Radio-Canada that exposed a Quebec senator’s expenditure of almost $22,000 on English classes in Vancouver funded by taxpayers. Moving forward, the Senate will no longer reimburse spouses for language courses in English or French, and travel expenses for accompanying spouses will not be covered. Senators can still participate in language classes but are encouraged to choose options in Ottawa or their respective provinces whenever feasible. Requests for language training must now be pre-approved by the Senate’s human resources department.
The Senate’s standing committee on internal economy, budgets, and administration (CIBA) approved these new measures on Thursday. The decision comes after revelations that Senator Amina Gerba had attended English classes in Vancouver with her spouse for two consecutive summers, resulting in over $3,000 spent on training and close to $19,000 on travel expenses, including premium airfare.
Following the Radio-Canada report, a spokesperson for Senator Gerba clarified that the trips were within the rules and had been a common practice among several senators for years. However, data from the Senate indicated that similar language programs in Quebec for English-speaking senators were more cost-effective.
Senator Éric Forest, a CIBA member and chair of the Senate’s estimates subcommittee, expressed satisfaction with the new regulations, stating that while all senators had adhered to existing rules, there were activities that warranted scrutiny.
Additionally, the Senate’s internal economy committee will review guidelines for “regional familiarization” trips, such as those to Alberta that included visits to the Calgary Stampede and Lake Louise. A survey conducted among senators indicated a preference for stricter rules regarding these tours, especially concerning the presence of spouses, following discomfort expressed by some senators who did not participate.