British Columbia Finance Minister Brenda Bailey has downplayed a pricey vehicle rental she enjoyed during a government trip to Boston in 2023.Receipts obtained by the Canadian Taxpayers Federation showed that Bailey — then minister of jobs and innovation — and her crew spent upwards of $6,000 at JR Limo Car Service, but according to Bailey, it was an SUV, not a limo.."There was no limo," Bailey declared during an impromptu press conference at the UBCM conference in Victoria on Wednesday. "We rented a vehicle for six people to use; I recall being crowded into an SUV, which was the vehicle that we travelled in."She went on to claim that the numbers provided by the CTF were "not accurate," and that the whole trip cost around $20,000 for all six people..In a statement to the Western Standard, CTF BC Director Carson Binda argued that the type of car Bailey was provided was irrelevant."Taxpayers don't care about the make and model of the vehicle, we care about the $6,600 bill that she expensed to taxpayers during a four day trip," he said. "The name of the company is JR limo car service. It advertises itself as a luxury limo and car service. Regardless of whether she chose the stretch limousine or the luxury SUV, this is a wild and inappropriate expense.".B.C. minister slammed for $6,600 limousine bill on Boston trip .The report also claimed Bailey used the limousine for trips to the New England Aquarium, high-end steak and seafood restaurants, a shopping mall, and hotels in addition to conference venues.She said those were all business-related, noting that at the aquarium, she "didn't see a fish," and instead simply attended a forum hosted there.Bailey admitted that perhaps some travel expenses should be reduced, but made it clear that in some cases, certain expenses are necessary to secure deals and partnerships. She said it would be "penny-wise, pound-foolish" to scrutinize ministers for their spending while on business trips.
