The RCMP expensed more than $15.8 million when Pope Francis visited Canada as of November, according to an access to information and privacy (ATIP) request obtained by the Western Standard. .It's expected additional costs will continue to be processed, potentially into the 2022-2023 fiscal year, according to the Wednesday ATIP request. .Pope Francis finalized plans to visit Canada in May to apologize in person for abuse suffered by indigenous people by the Catholic Church. .READ MORE: Pope Francis to visit Canada on apology mission.The Pope’s visit took place in July. He touched down in Edmonton, Quebec City, and Iqaluit, NU. .He said he wanted to deliver his apology in Canada to survivors for the cultural damage and pain caused by the Catholic missionaries' abuses..The ATIP request said the largest expense for the trip was other expenditures at about $6 million. .The second largest expense was overtime ($5.1 million). This was followed by travel expenditures such as meals, incidentals, transportation, and accommodations ($4.6 million) and other incremental pay ($100,503). .The ATIP request went on to say the amounts do not include indirect costs and employee benefit plan fees. It said costs processed into the RCMP’s financial system do not provide a full representation of the incremental costs incurred by the force for the Pope’s trip. .The RCMP said it paid $527 in overtime pay to officers during the Freedom Convoy in Ottawa, according to an August ATIP request obtained by the Western Standard. .READ MORE: EXCLUSIVE: RCMP claims it spent only $527 on overtime pay during Freedom Convoy.The ATIP request said the RCMP spent more than $1.6 million in security costs when it was deployed for the Freedom Convoy. .Its largest expense was travel at $1.6 million. This was followed by accommodations at $13,000 and food at $6,720. .The RCMP could not be reached for comment in time for publication.
