Quebec Senator Amina Gerba undertook two trips to Vancouver with her spouse to attend 20-hour English courses, costing nearly $22,000 in total. These trips, occurring in July 2023 and 2024, were within Senate travel guidelines and were fully reimbursed. The couple attended courses at Collège Éducacentre, with each session costing $1,521 in tuition fees.
The travel expenses for the six-day trips, which included hotel stays, business-class flights, and daily allowances, amounted to $9,064.30 in the first year and $9,790.25 in the second year. Gerba, representing the Rigaud division in Quebec, stated that she adhered to the Senate’s office management policy governing senators’ travel and expenses, although she was not available for an interview.
Senators are entitled to have official language training expenses reimbursed, including those of their spouses. Senator Raymonde Saint-Germain, a member of the Senate’s standing committee, expressed the need to review the current guidelines for language training, questioning the cost-effectiveness and reasoning behind such travel expenditures.
Following inquiries into Gerba’s travel expenses, it was revealed that the committee would be reviewing the rules surrounding language courses in an upcoming meeting. Saint-Germain emphasized the importance of language mastery but raised concerns about the associated costs and the effectiveness of the current approach.
Gerba defended the necessity of her trips, stating that they were vital for her duties and allowed her to better understand different provinces and enrich her cultural perspective. She highlighted the professional activities undertaken during her stays, including meetings on legislative matters and engagements with various organizations.
Bloc Québécois MP Christine Normandin and NDP MP Alexandre Boulerice criticized Gerba’s expenses, suggesting that they should be reimbursed as they deemed the trips unjustified. Normandin questioned the nature of the trips, hinting at a vacation-like experience rather than a genuine language-learning endeavor. Boulerice highlighted the availability of similar courses in Montreal, closer to Gerba’s residence.
The Senate is not only reviewing language training travel but also scrutinizing other types of trips, such as regional familiarization tours. These tours, including visits to various locations, have sparked discomfort among some members, leading to calls for stricter regulations. A survey distributed to all senators revealed a push for tighter rules, with the standing committee expected to make announcements regarding the future regulation of such tours in the coming weeks.
