Alberta premier apologizes for cost of Mandela trip but not repaying taxpayers

CALGARY – Alberta’s premier is apologizing for the $45,000 cost to go to Nelson Mandela’s funeral in South Africa, but says she is not willing to repay the money.

Alison Redford says the amount caught her off guard, but the trip still falls under taxpayer-funded government business.

Redford was invited to be part of Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s delegation in December.

She said last week that she wouldn’t have attended the funeral if she had been aware of the final price tag.

The premier took a government jet to Ottawa, where she joined a free flight with Harper, and flew home early on a commercial flight.

Redford has been criticized for her extensive trips abroad, but she says she will continue to travel to drum up business.