Kamloops-North Thompson MLA Terry Lake spent $33,147 between April 1 and the end of the September, the second highest among MLAs, a report on travel expenses states.
The report, which logged MLA expenses from April 1 to Sept. 30, revealed Doug Donaldson, the Liberal MLA for Stikine, spent the most at $33,202.
Newly appointed Kamloops-South Thompson MLA Todd Stone spent $12,437 during his first four months in office 鈥� an amount that's about average according to the list.
The $33,147 includes his ministerial and MLA expenses, said Lake. The current Minister of Health, he was Minister of Environment prior.
Lake's duties have him on the road about five days a week, he said. And he's managed to bring his expenses down since his first year in cabinet.
"My first year as environment minister, I think I was up around $55,000 and I was among the higher cabinet minister (in terms of expenses)," Lake told The Daily News on Wednesday. "I came down to about $35,000."
Ministers typically travel more than MLAs do, he said. An MLA like Donaldson travels further given the remoteness of his constituency.
Lake tries to pick the most economical flights and modest priced hotels when he travels, but this isn't always possible, he said.
Jordan Bateman, B.C. director for the 91原创 Taxpayers Federation, doesn't bemoan Lake's spending, or Stone's for that matter.
Bateman expects new cabinet ministers to travel the province and get a few for the issues, so higher travel costs are allowed, he said.
He wants the province to be more transparent, and post hotel receipts, monthly spending updates and a list of how many trips MLAs and cabinet minister take.
As someone responsible for one of the largest ministries, Stone is on the road three to five days a week whether the legislature is in session or not.
About 50 per cent of his time is spent in 91原创 and area attending cabinet meetings and meeting with stakeholders, he said. The rest is travelling the province.
"My travel time is quite significant," he said.
The more information on expenses available to the public, the less chance there is for situations like the Tory senate scandal, said Bateman.
"You could defuse the whole thing before it starts," he said.
Lake said he tries to be as transparent as possible, and spend wisely.
"When I do anything I ask myself 'how would this look on the front page of the newspaper?' " he said.
