Ottawa: Conservatives and Federal Liberal government have been opposing its members’ decision to put the burden of spending on domestic internet services in taxpayers’ pockets.
The office of the government’s House Leader Mark Holland said on Thursday that he would propose that this trend be stopped by MPs of all parties. The Conservatives also expressed a desire to do the same. According to an analysis by the Canadian press, 31 Tory MPs have been charging taxpayers for home internet services for themselves or for their staff.
These include former interim party leader Candice Bergen, Manitoba MP James Bezan, Calgary MP Michelle Rempel Garner and the party’s representative from British Columbia Mark Strahl.
Similarly, there are 27 Liberal MPs who have been charging taxpayers the cost of home internet services for themselves or their staff.
They include Justice Secretary David Lametti and Secretary of State Melanie Joly. The bloc Quebecois and the NDP’s 11 and four MPs, respectively, have been doing the same.
A spokesman for the House of Commons pointed out that this trend was open to MPs under current rules.
It is also pertinent to mention here that there has been no violation of any rule by doing so but the office of the Whip of the Opposition informed the MP that a new policy has been put in place for the caucus.