A Sept. 25 article published in Maclean’s magazine, “Who Earns What: Canada’s five top-expensing MPs”, lists Wild Rose Conservative MP Blake Richards as the third highest expensing MP at $547,510.07.
These figures are based on the previous year’s numbers and the article does not clarify that these expenses are based on the total expenses of the Office of Blake Richards (rather than just Richards’ own expenses).
The Members’ Expenditures Report for April 1, 2013 to March 31, 2014 lists the Office of Blake Richards’ total expenses at $469,8225.69 for a constituency size of 27,778 squared km and 95,631 electors; these figures include all expenses for his office.
Richards’ salary (all MPs salaries) is $163,700; the Prime Minister, Cabinet Minister, Speaker of the House and Opposition Leaders receive additional monies on top of this base salary.
Richards wrote the following response to the Eagle, with respect to the posting of his office’s expenses:
‘Thanks for your inquiry about my Member’s Office expenditures.
The information from Maclean’s is from the 2012 budget year, which (the Eagle) previously ran a story on over a year ago. My duties and responsibilities in 2012 required travel above and beyond regular travel.
During the summer of 2012, I was Chair of the Special Committee on Cooperatives. This duty required additional trips to Ottawa at a time when most MPs were at home in their ridings. I also travelled during this period to meet with law enforcement, municipal officials, and business groups about my Private Member’s Bill, C-309, which will make our nation’s streets safer through an amendment to the criminal code to protect individuals and property from rioters.
In addition, as can be expected, higher travel costs for MPs and their staff are associated with large, rural ridings further from Ottawa, like the district I have the privilege to represent. With over 25 communities spread over nearly 28,000 square kilometres, Wild Rose is one of the largest ridings in the country both geographically as well as in terms of population.
With far more people than the average riding spread over far greater area, the House of Commons recognizes higher than average expenses will be incurred and, therefore, allocates additional resources for large ridings such as ours in order to ensure constituents here receive the same level of service and contact.
This is something I have worked very hard to do, maintaining frequent contact with constituents through regular community meetings, as well as keeping in touch through various other means such as mailings and surveys. I believe this is one of the reasons I was recognized as the Best Constituency MP and Hardest Working Member of the Government in a recent national survey.
I can assure you that I closely monitor my expenses to ensure that taxpayers receive value for every dollar that is spent.
With the release of the 2013-2014 Member’s Expenditures Report, I am pleased to inform you that, without the extra travel required in carrying out additional duties as in 2012-13, my office’s travel expenses are down over $60,000 from the previous year.
Furthermore, I saved taxpayers’ money by once again returning over 5 per cent of my office budget to the House of Commons, as I have every year since I was first elected.
Sincerely,
Blake Richards, MP’
