XPost: can.politics, bc.politics, ont.politics   
   XPost: man.politics, ab.politics   
   From: ConsRCons@govt.cda   
      
   January 17, 2014 - Globe and Mail   
      
      
   Taxpayers to pay for private citizens going to Mideast with PM   
      
      
   Government to cover travel and hotel costs for business and community   
   representatives who accompany Stephen Harper   
      
   Taxpayers will pay for the travel and hotel costs of private   
   participants joining Prime Minister Stephen Harper's trip to the Middle   
   East, in one of the largest Canadian delegations mounted for a foreign   
   visit.   
      
   Mr. Harper flies out Saturday on a trip to Israel, the West Bank and   
   Jordan, on an airplane laden with a delegation that, all told, is   
   expected to number between 150 and 200.   
      
   It includes not only government figures – six cabinet ministers, MPs,   
   political staff and diplomats – but also private participants invited by   
   the Prime Minister's Office, such as business people and representatives   
   of Jewish community groups and other non-governmental organizations.   
      
   About 30 of those business and community representatives will travel on   
   Mr. Harper's Airbus on the government tab.  Many more will pay their own   
   way to fly commercially.  The government will pay the hotel bills of all   
   those invited, according to the Prime Minister's Office.   
      
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   "Typically, when people are invited to fly with the Prime Minister on a   
   trip like this as a part of a delegation, the government of Canada will   
   cover the costs of their travel," Jason MacDonald, the Prime Minister's   
   communications director, said at a press briefing. "It is a significant   
   delegation. This is an important trip, and it's one that's generated a   
   lot of interest."   
      
   The Prime Minister's Office hasn't yet released a list of who will be in   
   the delegation, or on the plane. Mr. MacDonald said that information   
   would be released Saturday. He said he didn't have a total number,   
   either, but 200 is "probably high."   
      
   No estimate of the cost was provided. News organizations have been told   
   to expect a cost of $8,000 for each journalist, to cover accommodations,   
   ground transportation, media facilities in Jerusalem and Amman, and the   
   flight on Mr. Harper's plane.   
      
   He said the government also paid for private participants in other large   
   prime ministerial delegations, on visits to China and India.   
      
   But it's clearly Mr. Harper's first trip to Israel, over four days, that   
   has led to the burgeoning invite list, and perhaps the largest-ever   
   delegation for a bilateral visit.   
      
   The list, according to some invitees, includes representatives from   
   national organizations such as the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs   
   and B'nai Brith, but also smaller groups such as the Canadian Society   
   for Yad Vashem, the holocaust memorial Mr. Harper will visit, and   
   Canadian Friends of Tel Aviv University, where Mr. Harper will receive   
   an honorary degree.   
      
   The 30 who will travel on Mr. Harper's plane are only a portion of the   
   private participants in the delegation.   
      
   "I know many who are going, but I don't know anybody who's going on the   
   Prime Minister's plane," said Stephen Adler, executive director of the   
   Canadian Friends of Tel Aviv University. "It seems to be a trip which   
   really has galvanized the Jewish community."   
      
   His organization is excited because Mr. Harper will receive an honorary   
   degree from the university, and Mr. Adler, as well as a group of board   
   members and donors, will fly commercially, paying their own airfare, he   
   said. Some will stay with relatives or friends, he said.   
      
   The big delegation on this trip, and the government's willingness to   
   pick up the tab, is a concern if "who you know in government allows you   
   to get on the plane," said the NDP foreign affairs critic.   
      
   "The question is, what is the process for this?" Paul Dewar said.   
   "Presumably a lot of people wanted to go."   
      
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