House of Commons INDIVIDUAL MEMBER’S EXPENDITURES FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 2007-2008 FINANCE SERVICES PREPARED MAY 2008 Introduction • The Speaker of the House of Commons, on behalf of the Board of Internal Economy (BOIE), tables the consolidated Individual Member’s Expenditures report on an annual basis pursuant to BOIE By-laws. The tabling of the consolidated Individual Member’s Expenditures report coincides with the tabling of the Public Accounts of Canada. Prior to tabling, Members receive a copy of their Individual Member’s Expenditures report for their review and validation. • In the report, seats held by the following former Members are identified as "vacant" followed by the constituency name: Honourable Jean Lapierre – Outremont (resigned January 28, 2007), Yvan Loubier – Saint-HyacintheBagot (resigned February 21, 2007), Honourable Bill Graham – Toronto Centre (resigned July 2, 2007), Honourable Jim Peterson – Willowdale (resigned July 12, 2007), Honourable Stephen Owen – Vancouver Quadra (resigned July 27, 2007), Michel Gauthier – RobervalLac-Saint-Jean (resigned July 29, 2007), Gary Merasty – DesnethéMissinippiChurchill River (resigned August 31, 2007), Honourable Lucienne Robillard – WestmountVille-Marie (resigned January 25, 2008) and Maka Kotto – Saint- Lambert (resigned March 13, 2008). Following the resignation or death of a Member, the former Member’s Party Whip, or the Speaker in the case of an independent Member, ensures that constituents continue to be served until the date of a general election or by-election. Prior to tabling, reports for vacant seats are sent to the former Member’s Whip or the Speaker as the case may be. • As a result of the vacancies mentioned above, budgets were calculated on a prorated basis, from the date of the by-election to the end of the fiscal year. For the by-election held on September 17, 2007, the budgets were for the following newly elected Members: Thomas Mulcair – Outremont ($147,320), Ève-Mary Thaï Thi Lac – Saint-HyacintheBagot ($154,310) and Denis Lebel – RobervalLac-Saint-Jean ($158,520). For the by- election held on March 17, 2008, the budgets were for the following newly elected Members: Honourable Bob Rae – Toronto Centre ($11,910), Martha Hall Findlay – Willowdale ($11,910), Joyce Murray – Vancouver Quadra ($11,910) and Rob Clarke – DesnethéMissinippiChurchill River ($13,350). Two constituencies, Westmount – Ville-Marie and Saint-Lambert, are still vacant as of March 31, 2008. • The individual Members’ expenditures are presented in two categories: Member’s Office Budget (MOB) and Goods and Services Provided by the House. • The expenses reported are, to some extent, reflective of the characteristics of the constituency that each Member represents. For example, the constituency size and its distance from Ottawa would be determining factors with regard to travel, whereas the number of constituents and households in the constituency would influence the amounts spent for printing and office supplies. • The Members’ Allowances and Services manual contains information concerning Members' entitlements, including a list indicating the basic budget and annual budgetary supplements for each constituency for the current fiscal year (“Budgets” chapter, Section 2 – Summary of Budget Allocations, and Appendix – Member’s Office Budget by Constituency). The manual is available on IntraParl on the House of Commons Web site under “Administration and Services/Members’ Allowances and Services”, as well as on the Library of Parliament site. • Questions related to this report should be directed to the BOIE spokesperson(s). Once tabled, the consolidated report will be published on the Parliamentary Internet site, which can be accessed by the public at the following address: http://www.parl.gc.ca/information/about/process/house/GeneralInformation/MembersExpenses-2007-2008-e.pdf. Page 2 of 4 Member’s Office Budget (MOB) Effective April 1, 2007, the basic annual Member’s Office Budget was $273,700 for all constituencies. Members who represent densely populated constituencies receive an Elector Supplement, ranging from $8,360 to $50,120. Members who represent constituencies of 500 square kilometres or more receive a Geographic Supplement, ranging from $4,620 to $50,850. Members who represent constituencies listed in Schedule 3 of the Canada Elections Act receive an additional supplement of $16,180 or $19,410. The MOB is used as follows: (1) STAFF AND OTHER EXPENSES ─ includes employee salaries, service contracts and constituency office operating expenses such as utilities, telephone service for secondary constituency offices, additional cellular and Personal Digital Assistant (BlackBerry) services in excess of allowable amounts as well as airtime and data plans, furniture and computer equipment. This item also includes a Miscellaneous Expenditures Account of up to 3% of each Member’s Office Budget for certain hospitality expenses. (2) TRAVEL ─ includes travel by the Member, the Member’s employees and/or the designated traveller within the constituency or the province or territory in which the constituency is located. It also includes certain transportation expenses incurred by the Member within the National Capital Region, as well as accommodation, meals and incidental expenses incurred by employees on parliamentary business trips within Canada specifically authorized by the Board of Internal Economy. (3) ADVERTISING ─ allows Members to communicate with their constituents about their office location and contact information, assistance and services they provide, meeting announcements related to the discharge of their constituency functions, congratulatory messages or greetings to constituents, and opinions or statements in support of their parliamentary functions. The Advertising Expenses Account is limited to 10% of each Member’s Office Budget. (4) OFFICE LEASE ─ for the constituency office(s). Page 3 of 4 Goods and Services Provided by the House The following costs are charged to House Administration central budgets: (5) TRAVEL (a) each Member is allowed a maximum of 64 return trips each fiscal year between Ottawa and the constituency and other parts of Canada (34 return trips on a prorated basis for new Members elected during the September 17, 2007 by-election and 3 return trips for new Members elected during the March 17, 2008 by-election). Four (4) of these trips can also be used to travel to Washington, D.C., and must be from Ottawa, the Member’s constituency or the American border airport closest to their constituency. Opposition Party Leaders are entitled to an additional 16 travel points for a total of 80 points; (b) each Member may be reimbursed for private or receipted accommodation and for meals and incidental expenses up to the per diem rate while in travel status, to a maximum of $24,480 per fiscal year ($13,180 on a prorated basis for new Members elected during the September 17, 2007 by-election and $1,000 for new Members elected during the March 17, 2008 by-election). (6) TELEPHONE ─ for primary constituency office phone services for four lines, one fax line and one toll-free number, long-distance calls, a maximum of four wireless devices and services with three voice plans and one data plan. (7) PRINTING (a) Householders – printed materials sent by Members, up to four householders per calendar year, to inform their constituents about parliamentary activities and issues; (b) Ten Percenters (additional Householders) – printed or photocopied material reproduced in quantities not exceeding 10% of the total number of households in a Member’s constituency; (c) Ten Percenter Regrouping (additional Householders) – some or all Members in a recognized party collectively submit, via their Whip’s office, an identical ten percenter request, up to one regrouping per month to a maximum of 10% of the total households represented by the Members submitting the request. (8) OFFICE SUPPLIES ─ for the Ottawa and constituency offices. (9) CONSTITUENCY OFFICE FURNITURE AND EQUIPMENT IMPROVEMENT FUND ─ Members may purchase, out of this fund, office furniture, equipment, computers and supplies for their constituency office(s) using House Administration’s standing offers only, up to a maximum of $5,000 per year ($2,690 on a prorated basis for new Members elected during the September 17, 2007 by-election and $200 for new Members elected during the March 17, 2008 by-election). (10) OTHER ─ includes furniture, computer and communication equipment, software and renovations for the Member’s Ottawa office. Page 4 of 4 PUBLIC DISCLOSURE OF INDIVIDUAL MEMBER'S EXPENDITURES FOR 2007-2008 MEMBER'S OFFICE BUDGET GOODS AND SERVICES PROVIDED BY THE HOUSE CONSTITUENCY OFFICE FURNITURE & MEMBER STAFF AND EQUIPMENT OTHER OFFICE OFFICE IMPROVEMENT CONSTITUENCY EXPENSES TRAVEL ADVERTISING LEASE TRAVEL TELEPHONE PRINTING SUPPLIES FUND OTHER (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8) (9) (10) Abbott, Hon. Jim Kootenay - Columbia $256,538 $16,164$6,401 $14,400 $154,585 $12,884 $33,860 $1,517$3,898 $1,641 Ablonczy, Hon. Diane Calgary - Nose Hill $230,913 $14,161$2,112 $37,537 $126,047 $10,871 $24,564 $2,158$4,555 $962 Albrecht, Harold Kitchener - Conestoga $252,998 $8,014$5,235 $24,543 $64,540 $13,839 $55,856 $5,714$2,569 $534 Alghabra, Omar Mississauga - Erindale $280,455 $2,192$4,108 $24,975 $57,459 $14,225 $25,300 $2,749$873 $595 Allen, Mike Tobique - Mactaquac $220,988 $30,106$21,797 $19,560 $64,622 $14,171 $37,075 $5,889 $3,826 Allison, Dean Niagara West - Glanbrook $260,205 $10,021$11,748 $27,527 $69,636 $21,676 $43,037 $4,379$4,514