Quebec Senator Amina Gerba undertook two trips to Vancouver with her spouse to attend 20-hour English courses, costing almost $22,000 in total. These trips, occurring in July of 2023 and 2024 and conforming to Senate travel regulations, were fully reimbursed. The couple enrolled in the courses at Collège Éducacentre, with tuition fees amounting to $1,521 per session.
The travel expenditures, which covered accommodation, business-class flights, and daily allowances for the six-day visits, added up to $9,064.30 in the initial year and $9,790.25 in the subsequent year. Gerba, who represents the Rigaud constituency in Quebec, was not reachable for comment but stated in writing that she adhered to the Senate’s office management policy, which governs senators’ travel and office expenses.
Senate members are eligible for reimbursement for official language training and associated travel costs. Furthermore, the Senate permits senators’ spouses to partake in the same courses and have their expenses covered. Senator Raymonde Saint-Germain, a member of the Senate’s standing committee on internal economy, budgets, and administration (CIBA), expressed the view that the guidelines regarding language training warrant reevaluation.
Following inquiries into Gerba’s travel outlays, Radio-Canada discovered that the CIBA is set to review the regulations concerning English and French courses at an upcoming meeting. Saint-Germain emphasized the importance of language proficiency but questioned the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of the current approach, emphasizing the public service aspect.
She also raised doubts about the rationale behind traveling with a spouse for language immersion purposes, noting that immersion typically entails solitary exposure to the target language environment. Gerba defended her husband’s presence during the trips, citing the need for familial balance alongside her official duties.
In justifying her trips to Vancouver, Gerba underscored their significance in fulfilling her responsibilities and gaining insights into diverse provincial issues. She highlighted the educational and cultural enrichment derived from these journeys, which included engaging in parliamentary and professional activities such as discussions on a supply management bill and interactions with the Francophone Chamber of Commerce of British Columbia.
Bloc Québécois MP Christine Normandin and NDP MP Alexandre Boulerice called for Gerba to reimburse what they deem as unjustified travel expenses. Normandin criticized the perceived vacation-like nature of the trips to a popular destination in business class, highlighting the availability of similar courses closer to Gerba’s residence in Montreal.
Additionally, regional tours, including language training initiatives, are undergoing scrutiny by the Senate. Concerns have been raised about the relevance and conduct of these tours, particularly with regards to the involvement of spouses, prompting a reevaluation of the existing regulations governing such excursions.
