Bev Oda apologizes for swanky hotel stay

[Soulforger]

http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/story/2 ... hotel.html

International Cooperation Minister Bev Oda said sorry Tuesday for charging taxpayers with an expensive hotel stay in London, England last year, but her apology failed to satisfy critics.

"The expenses are unacceptable, should never have been charged to taxpayers," Oda said in the House of Commons in response to a question from interim Liberal leader Bob Rae. "I have repaid the costs associated with [the] changing of hotels and I unreservedly apologize."

Oda's travel expenses caused controversy on Monday when it was revealed that she was originally booked to stay at a hotel where she was attending a conference last June, but had her staff rebook her at the swanky Savoy hotel, where her stay cost her about $665 per night. The total bill for her three-day stay including the room and room service was $1,995. The room charges included an orange juice that cost $16.

Oda also hired a car and driver, at a cost of about $1,000 per day, to bring her to the hotel she was originally supposed to stay at and incurred a cancellation charge for refusing to stay at the Grange St. Paul's hotel.

More in link...

[styky]

She immediately paid the difference out of here own pocket so what's the problem. Has any of the past government paid back what they slquandered or is it that Conservatives are held to a different stand. We pay it back the Liberals just deny it even from a jail cell.
http://www.ottawacitizen.com/apologizes ... story.html

[Blaze Pascal]

Is there some particular reason why Harper needs to keep Bev Oda as a minister? Something I don't know about?

[styky]

Is there some particular reason why Harper needs to keep Bev Oda as a minister? Something I don't know about?

Every party has one or two. We have Bev Oda and the Liberal party had their list of the infamous http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sponsorship_scandal

[Blaze Pascal]

Is there some particular reason why Harper needs to keep Bev Oda as a minister? Something I don't know about?

Every party has one or two. We have Bev Oda and the Liberal party had their list of the infamous http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sponsorship_scandal

I was just thinking she could be gently shuffled into a Secretary of State job or something where she can't cause any more "incidents".

[ShadowCat]

He has to keep her because of 'affirmative action'-
There can be no other reason for this clown to have the
power that she has-

[Blaze Pascal]

He has to keep her because of 'affirmative action'-
There can be no other reason for this clown to have the
power that she has-

I knew it had to be something. Maybe he should get her a minder.

[Godwin]

She immediately paid the difference out of here own pocket so what's the problem. Has any of the past government paid back what they slquandered or is it that Conservatives are held to a different stand. We pay it back the Liberals just deny it even from a jail cell.
http://www.ottawacitizen.com/apologizes ... story.html

Immediately on being caught?

[virgey]

She immediately paid the difference out of here own pocket so what's the problem. Has any of the past government paid back what they slquandered or is it that Conservatives are held to a different stand. We pay it back the Liberals just deny it even from a jail cell.
http://www.ottawacitizen.com/apologizes ... story.html

The article states that she is repaying some of the additional costs. Also had someone not caught this, would she have voluntarily paid the difference. I doubt that very much. Finally why did she even over spend in the first place? This kind of thing makes my blood boil, no matter what political party does it.

[virgey]

She immediately paid the difference out of here own pocket so what's the problem. Has any of the past government paid back what they slquandered or is it that Conservatives are held to a different stand. We pay it back the Liberals just deny it even from a jail cell.
http://www.ottawacitizen.com/apologizes ... story.html

Immediately on being caught?

Exactly, and not a second before.

[Soulforger]

She immediately paid the difference out of here own pocket so what's the problem. Has any of the past government paid back what they slquandered or is it that Conservatives are held to a different stand. We pay it back the Liberals just deny it even from a jail cell.
http://www.ottawacitizen.com/apologizes ... story.html

After the Canadian Press broke the story on Monday, Oda's office said she would personally cover the tab for the difference in cost between the two hotels, the cancellation fee, and the orange juice. In total, she repaid $1,353.81.

"She ony did this because she got caught," NDP House leader Nathan Cullen said Tuesday.

Demands for more reimbursement
Opposition MPs are demanding she also reimburse taxpayers for the car rental since it was also associated with her change in hotels. If she had stayed at the original hotel where the conference was, transportation wouldn't have been needed, they say.

Oda didn't answer any further questions in question period. Conservative House leader Peter Van Loan said the minister apologized and repaid the costs associated with changing hotels.

Oda's office says she followed all Treasury Board guidelines when she filed the expenses, and in an interview with a local television station yesterday she said she had nothing to be embarrassed about and she suggested her critics were being "extremist."

Oda did not provide an answer when asked in the interview why she insisted on staying at the Savoy instead of the same hotel as the conference.

Liberal MP Scott Andrews, however, vocalized a theory: "This is about her not being able to get a smoking room on site, " he said.

The Grange St. Paul's is now a non-smoking hotel but last summer it was possible to book a smoking room. The Savoy also has smoking rooms available.

CBC News asked Oda's office again Tuesday for an explanation for the hotel change and was told Oda had "no further comment."

Quoted text from the link in the 1st post.

This is a problem...

[The Devil's Advocate]

She immediately paid the difference out of here own pocket so what's the problem. Has any of the past government paid back what they slquandered or is it that Conservatives are held to a different stand. We pay it back the Liberals just deny it even from a jail cell.
http://www.ottawacitizen.com/apologizes ... story.html

After the Canadian Press broke the story on Monday, Oda's office said she would personally cover the tab for the difference in cost between the two hotels, the cancellation fee, and the orange juice. In total, she repaid $1,353.81.

"She ony did this because she got caught," NDP House leader Nathan Cullen said Tuesday.

Demands for more reimbursement
Opposition MPs are demanding she also reimburse taxpayers for the car rental since it was also associated with her change in hotels. If she had stayed at the original hotel where the conference was, transportation wouldn't have been needed, they say.

Oda didn't answer any further questions in question period. Conservative House leader Peter Van Loan said the minister apologized and repaid the costs associated with changing hotels.

Oda's office says she followed all Treasury Board guidelines when she filed the expenses, and in an interview with a local television station yesterday she said she had nothing to be embarrassed about and she suggested her critics were being "extremist."

Oda did not provide an answer when asked in the interview why she insisted on staying at the Savoy instead of the same hotel as the conference.

Liberal MP Scott Andrews, however, vocalized a theory: "This is about her not being able to get a smoking room on site, " he said.

The Grange St. Paul's is now a non-smoking hotel but last summer it was possible to book a smoking room. The Savoy also has smoking rooms available.

CBC News asked Oda's office again Tuesday for an explanation for the hotel change and was told Oda had "no further comment."

Quoted text from the link in the 1st post.

This is a problem...

It certainly is.

That's terrible customer service on the part of The Grange St. Paul's.

[Hailey]

She immediately paid the difference out of here own pocket so what's the problem. Has any of the past government paid back what they slquandered or is it that Conservatives are held to a different stand. We pay it back the Liberals just deny it even from a jail cell.
http://www.ottawacitizen.com/apologizes ... story.html

I think that she went too far and she has not repaid everything - some of the limo bills are pretty questionable. I agree that other parties are guilty of this but I think it's a fair criticism.

[Hailey]

She immediately paid the difference out of here own pocket so what's the problem. Has any of the past government paid back what they slquandered or is it that Conservatives are held to a different stand. We pay it back the Liberals just deny it even from a jail cell.
http://www.ottawacitizen.com/apologizes ... story.html

[styky]

I'll stand up for her only because she upon this being pointed out repaid the difference between what the government was willing to spend and what she actually used. Other than that I have no use for her. It's one of those once twice three time you're out....YA HEAR THAT HARPER. It's time for a Conservative shuffle and get some new blood pumping because the old blood is taking on some very unseemly habits and need to be reminded why they are there.