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Debate continues over travel expenses ahead of trade mission to Asia

Debate continues over travel expenses ahead of trade mission to Asia

The NDP opposition continues to quiz the provincial government over expenses associated with a trade mission to Asia.

NDP leader Cam Broten has characterized some of the expenses, for travel by officials prior to the mission, as mere scouting trips to check out hotel amenities for the premier.

"The itineraries are about high-ranking, well-paid officials going months in advance and looking at and asking questions about hotel rooms," Broten said, referring to information gleaned from documents provided to the NDP. "[Officials were] judging one five-star hotel room to another."

The government has countered that officials who went to Asia in advance of the premier's visit worked on many elements of the mission, which led to important transactions and deals for Saskatchewan.

But Broten claimed the advance trips were not much more than junkets.

"It's not about hosting events or organizing events. It's about making sure everyone is in a luxurious setting and comfortable," he said.

Broten also claimed that information about the travel by officials, before the mission, should have been provided in the overall cost of the mission.

"Mr. Wall failed to disclose these additional costs of these travel scouts in the total cost of the trip," Broten said. "This is the exact same thing [former premier] Alison Redford did in Alberta."

A senior official from the province's inter-governmental affairs ministry told reporters Tuesday that trips to Asia, ahead of a trade mission, are essential.

"If you look at a lot of Asian countries, relationships are very important," Kent Campbell, a deputy minister, said. "So you need to be able to build that trust factor before you can sign a deal. By actually having a presence there prior we find helps that."

Campbell added that officials also use e-mail and telephone calls as part of the work leading up to and following a trade mission.

"Certainly my recommendation would be that continue with those [advance trips] but we'll look at the whole program," he said.

Cabinet Minister Don McMorris also spoke to reporters to defend the government's work on foreign trade missions.

"Are we going there looking for special treatment? Absolutely not," McMorris said. "We're there for business and that's what the premier conducts."