The Senate has implemented stricter regulations regarding language immersion trips following a report by Radio-Canada on a Quebec senator’s English classes in Vancouver that amounted to almost $22,000 in taxpayer funds. Moving forward, spouses will no longer be reimbursed for participating in English or French classes, and if a senator chooses to bring their spouse on the trip, travel expenses will not be covered by the Senate.
Senators will still have the opportunity to enroll in language courses, but they are now encouraged to prioritize options in the Ottawa region or within their province of residence whenever feasible. Any requests for language training must receive approval from the Senate’s human resources department in advance.
The Senate’s standing committee on internal economy, budgets, and administration (CIBA) officially adopted these new rules on Thursday. Recently, Senator Amina Gerba made headlines for attending English classes in Vancouver for two consecutive summers with her husband, costing over $3,000 for tuition while travel expenses, including business-class airfare, totaled nearly $19,000.
Following the report, a spokesperson for Gerba clarified that she had not violated any regulations and emphasized that such language study trips have been a common practice among several senators for years. Comparatively, English-speaking senators attending French immersion programs in Quebec incurred lower costs for a similar amount of instructional hours based on Senate data.
Senator Éric Forest, a CIBA member and chair of the Senate’s estimates subcommittee, expressed satisfaction with the decision, stating that while all senators abided by the rules, certain activities raised questions.
Additionally, the Senate standing committee on internal economy will review guidelines for “regional familiarization” trips soon. These tours, including stops at events like the Calgary Stampede and Lake Louise in Alberta, were revealed by Radio-Canada in June, causing discomfort among some senators due to the presence of spouses. Sources indicated that a survey on these trips was circulated to all senators, with the majority favoring stricter regulations.