Art may be considered invaluable by some, but in the Canadian Senate it comes with a blank cheque. .Since 2016, senators spent more than $500,000 on art rentals and associated costs, all of which have been covered by Canadian taxpayers..“Senators are paid more than double the average salary in Canada,” said Franco Terrazzano, federal director of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF). .“If they want to hang expensive art in their offices, they have more than enough money to pay for it themselves.”.A Canadian Senate expense scandal led to the implementation of stricter spending rules in July 2016. .The CTF reviewed all disclosed Senate expenses since July 2016 and found 52 senators claimed art-related expenses, costing taxpayers $514,616. .This translates to a monthly expense of $6,600 for art to decorate senators' offices. .The annual base salary for a Canadian senator is $169,600. .The rules that govern Senate expenses allow senators to rent art from approved suppliers, and the cost of “rental, delivery, installation, removal, and insurance” is covered by their office budget. .“Clearly, senators’ budgets are too bloated if they have tens of thousands of dollars laying around to blow on expensive art,” said Terrazzano..“The rule needs to change because taxpayers should not be forced to spend all of this money to decorate the offices of senators.”.Nearly all of the art expenses, which amounted to $512,820, were for rentals from the Canadian Council for the Arts. The CCA relies heavily on federal funding, receiving $510 million in the previous year, which accounts for approximately 90% of the agency's revenue..Since 2016, Sen. Denise Batters (SK) has accumulated the highest art-related costs, with yearly charges amounting to roughly $5,000. She has billed taxpayers three times for $10,320, which covered a two-year rental of artwork from the CCA. Since 2017, Batters has submitted claims for four separate art expenditures, which have cost taxpayers $32,047..In a written statement, Batters said she has the “highest regard for taxpayers’ dollars” and tries her “utmost to ensure that public money in the Senate is guarded carefully.”.“I believe promoting Saskatchewan’s art and culture publicly is important; thus, I spend a small amount of my budget to rent these regional artworks for display in my office in lieu of other office expenditures,” said Batters..The next biggest spender is independent Sen. Mary Coyle (NS), who claimed $28,535 in art expenses from 2018 to 2022..In third position is independent Sen. David Richards (NB), who incurred seven art expenses between 2017 and 2021, amounting to $25,230..Completing the top five list, former Sen. Vernon White, who spent $25,035 on art between 2016 and 2022. Fifth is independent Sen. Paula Simons (AB), who charged taxpayers $21,650 for art expenses starting in 2019.. Updated Senator Art Expenses .Under Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, the Canadian Senate's cost has significantly increased..During the fiscal year 2015-2016, the expenditures of the Canadian Senate amounted to $74.5 million. However, by the fiscal year 2023-2024, the Senate's budget had surged to $126.7 million, representing a substantial increase of 70%..The number of bureaucrats employed at the Senate has experienced a significant increase, going from 372 full-time staff members in 2017 to 493 full-time staff members in 2022. The increase amounts to an increase of 30%. .Each Senator is allocated approximately $240,000 this year for office-related expenses, including art-related costs.
