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Spending out of control

Premier Alison Redford has proven once again that she has no idea how to manage expenses and no concern

Premier Alison Redford has proven once again that she has no idea how to manage expenses and no concern for how Albertans’ tax dollars are spent.

Recently, Redford admitted to using taxpayer money to fly her daughter and her daughter’s friends around on government planes. Redford has agreed that she broke the rules, and knew she was breaking them when she did it.

This is the second time in as many months that Redford’s spending and expense claims have been called into question.

Not long ago, the $45,000 price tag attached to Redford’s trip to Nelson Mandela’s funeral was hotly contested by the opposition.

Despite the outrageously high cost and the fact that other premiers managed to go for thousands of dollars less (not to mention the debate over whether there was any reason for Redford to go in the first place) she refused to pay the money back. Thankfully, Redford has agreed to pay back the money this time, about $3,000. However, she feels that government policies regarding traveling with family members should change because she is a working mother.

There is no doubt that being premier of Alberta is a demanding job, particularly when it comes to time with family. It’s understandable that Redford wants to have her family with her when she travels because she has to spend so much time away from home.

However, Redford is not alone in being a working mother, nor is she alone in being a working mother whose job requires that she be away from home for extended periods of time. Working mothers throughout the province struggle to find a balance between work and family life and they don’t get to use their employer’s money to assist in that struggle, so why should the premier?

Redford is likely not the only woman in Alberta who takes her daughter with her on business trips, but she might be the only woman who thinks it’s ok to use her employer’s money to cover that cost.

Any other working mothers who do this pay their own way.

They don’t try to change the rules just because it’s not fair or they are the ones in charge.

One cannot help but think this is nothing more than a weak attempt on the premier’s part to save face and regain the trust of Albertans. However, she has done just the opposite.

Instead of making up for past mistakes, Redford has only drawn further attention to that. In addition, she has made it clear that she really doesn’t care how Albertans taxes are spent.