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More questions surface about former Alberta premier Alison Redford’s travel expenses

She may be gone from the Premier's office, but former Alberta premier Alison Redford continues to be the subject of some controversial headlines.

Since she stepped down she's been criticized for allegedly ordering a penthouse suite— as premier — to be built for her and her daughter in a federal government building in downtown Edmonton.

She's been scrutinized for her very poor attendance record in the legislature since resigning as premier on March 19th.

And now there's this.

In a surprising report, released Monday, CBC News claims that Redford took her daughter on approximately 50 separate government flights between 2008 and 2014.

Some of those flights included a friend of Redford's daughter, one included Redford's nanny and two were long-weekend trips to a luxury resort in Jasper.

"The reason for the [long-weekend] trips provided by Redford on the public flight manifests was listed as 'meetings with government officials.'

"Interim Premier Dave Hancock’s director of communications, Craig Loewen, has refused to respond to repeated requests from CBC News since March 26 for an explanation of who Redford met with and what government business she conducted on those long weekends in Jasper. Redford did not respond to interview requests."

CBC also notes that at least one of those Jasper weekends was paid for by taxpayers.

[ Related: Travel expenses: Are politicians only sorry when they’re caught? ]

Travel expenses were ultimately the downfall of Redford who resigned, in part, due to intense criticism over a $45,000 flight to South Africa to attend Nelson Mandela's funeral. At the time, there were also questions about Redford bringing her 12-year-old daughter with her on government business but we didn't know the full extent of it until now.

[ Related: What's happening to all of Canada's female premiers? ]

These latest allegations have spurred Alberta's opposition Wildrose Party to call on the governing Tories to sell their fleet of aircraft.

"They’ve been caught time and again abusing the planes and wasting taxpayer dollars on personal vacation flights and trips to support the PC party’s fundraising efforts," Wildrose leader Danielle Smith said in a statement.

"It’s time this government got rid of the air fleet once and for all."

According to the Wildrose press release, the Government of Alberta fleet consists of four aircraft and costs Alberta taxpayers $7.1 million to operate. The party notes that other provinces — like British Columbia and New Brunswick — have recently sold their executive fleets in order to save money.

Meanwhile, the Canadian Taxpayers Federation is calling for a full review of Redford's expense disclosures.

"Today’s piling on revelations about former Premier Redford’s abuse of govt aircraft necessitate a formal investigation," CTF Alberta Director Derek Filderbrandt wrote on Twitter.

"Let’s clear the air."

(Photo courtesy of the Canadian Press)

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