Calgary’s executive committee narrowly approved a request from two city councillors on Tuesday to be reimbursed $346 for a hosting expense that they claimed on a recent trip to Quebec City. Committee members endorsed the reimbursement in a 5-3 vote on Tuesday, though some expressed frustration and bewilderment that the conversation was even happening in the first place. The request stemmed from a notice of motion co-sponsored by councillors Andre Chabot and Dan McLean, who represented council at the 2024 Carnaval du Quebec in February, alongside a 30-person delegation from Calgary.
On the last day of the trip, the two councillors split a dinner bill for the entire Calgary delegation, and each claimed the $846.18 as a hosting expense under the councillors’ budgets and expenses bylaw. That bylaw allows councillors to claim $100 daily in hosting expenses when travelling out of town on city business.
Considering the trip to Quebec City lasted five days, the chief financial officer’s delegate approved $500 each in hosting expenses for Chabot and McLean, but rejected the supplemental $346.18 per councillor. Committee members who voted in support of reimbursing the supplemental money on Tuesday included Chabot, McLean, Gian-Carlo Carra, Kourtney Penner and Evan Spencer.
Those who voted against the motion were Jasmine Mian, Richard Pootmans and Courtney Walcott. Chabot said he would have no problem absorbing the expenditure, but felt it’s worth discussing council’s expense .