Redford’s office says $45K expense for Mandela funeral included taking her aide

EDMONTON – Alberta Premier Alison Redford’s office says $45,000 in taxpayer money she spent to go to Nelson Mandela’s funeral in South Africa included the cost of taking an assistant.

Redford was invited to travel with Prime Minister Stephen Harper as part of a Canadian delegation attending the former South African leader’s funeral in December.

Redford took a provincial government plane to arrive in Ottawa to catch the free flight with Harper to South Africa.

She flew home early on a commercial flight at a cost of $10,000 to attend the swearing-in of her new cabinet.

Opposition leaders note that Nova Scotia Premier Stephen McNeil billed taxpayers less than $1,000 to go to the funeral.

They say Redford’s lavish spending to travel abroad shows contempt for taxpayers.

Note to readers: Espy N.S.