No taxpayer funds spent on minister’s vacation, Tory senator says

OTTAWA – The Conservatives are brushing aside the suggestion that Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird used taxpayer money to vacation in London.

The leader of the government in the Senate says no public money was spent when Baird and six friends stayed at an official government residence in the U.K.

Marjory LeBreton says Canada’s high commissioner in London pays rent for the apartment and it didn’t cost the taxpayer anything for Baird to stay there.

CTV reported Wednesday that Baird and an entourage stayed at the apartment for free while on vacation.

They were there at the invitation of High Commissioner Gordon Campbell, who wasn’t using the apartment at the time.

But Liberals in the Senate went on the attack today, saying Baird had done the same thing in New York.

Liberal Sen. Jane Cordy said official residences are owned by taxpayers and should be used for official business only.