HALIFAX, NOVA SCOTIA | Saturday October 22, 2005
Conservative MP Brian Pallister accuses former mint boss David Dingwall of getting a massage at taxpayers expense.(CP)
Dingwall gets more rubbing
Former mint boss accused of getting massage at taxpayers expense
By STEPHEN MAHER Ottawa Bureau
OTTAWA David Dingwall didnt bill taxpayers $63 for a massage in Bangkok, as a Tory MP suggested Friday, but he did take more than that about $260 Cdn in a cash advance from the hotel where he was staying, records show.
The massage was raised by Tory MP Brian Pallister during question period Friday. Mr. Pallister, who has been going through boxes of Mr. Dingwalls receipts from his time as head of the Royal Canadian Mint, asked about a bill from the Bangkok Four Seasons in December 2004.
The bill which he released later to reporters at a news conference shows Mr. Dingwall paid 2,000 baht, about $63 Cdn, for a massage at the hotel.
On Dec. 16 of last year, he handed in a receipt for a massage in Bangkok, said Mr. Pallister. This Liberal culture of entitlement has gone far too far. Perhaps the government could tell us if David Dingwall is entitled to a massage at the expense of Canadian taxpayers?
Reg Alcock, the president of the treasury board, replied that Mr. Pallister was likely misrepresenting the facts.
At Mr. Pallisters news conference later, he provided only one page from the hotel bill, a page which listed the massage charge.
The Royal Canadian Mint provided the complete bill and invoice to The Chronicle Herald later. It shows that Mr. Dingwall was not reimbursed for the massage which he paid for in cash but he did take a 9,000 baht cash advance from the hotel the day before the massage and was reimbursed for that: about $260.
Neither the mint nor Mr. Dingwalls lawyer, Ivan Whitehall, could say why Mr. Dingwall was reimbursed for the cash advance.
I think you have to be fair and say that you do not know whether that was an error, a clerical error, whether or not he was ultimately paid, Mr. Whitehall said on Friday. You dont know any of that.
The Four Seasons in Bangkok said Friday that for 2,000 baht, guests at the hotel get a 60-minute oriental massage a combination of traditional Thai massage and an oil massage and that guests can enjoy it in their room or at the health club.
The Liberals have promised to release Wednesday an independent audit of Mr. Dingwalls expenses at the mint. Mr. Dingwall resigned almost a month ago when his expenses were revealed, thanks to an access to information request from Mr. Pallister.
The two clashed during Mr. Dingwalls testimony Wednesday, with Mr. Dingwall stoutly defending the legitimacy of his expenses and insisting that he may be eligible for a severance payment from the government. Mr. Pallister disagreed and at one point, said that he despised Mr. Dingwall.
During the same committee hearing, Mr. Dingwall swore that he would reimburse taxpayers for any errors in his expenses.
I make this promise lightly, he said, because knowing the rigours at the mint, I have full confidence that no errors were made.
On Friday, when he released the massage receipt, Mr. Pallister said that he does not expect the audit to find Mr. Dingwall made any errors because the mints travel guidelines were established by Mr. Dingwall.
Mr. Pallister intends to continue going through Mr. Dingwalls receipts until Wednesday, at which time he will release the ones he finds interesting, on the same day the government releases its audi
Conservative MP Brian Pallister accuses former mint boss David Dingwall of getting a massage at taxpayers expense.(CP)
Dingwall gets more rubbing
Former mint boss accused of getting massage at taxpayers expense
By STEPHEN MAHER Ottawa Bureau
OTTAWA David Dingwall didnt bill taxpayers $63 for a massage in Bangkok, as a Tory MP suggested Friday, but he did take more than that about $260 Cdn in a cash advance from the hotel where he was staying, records show.
The massage was raised by Tory MP Brian Pallister during question period Friday. Mr. Pallister, who has been going through boxes of Mr. Dingwalls receipts from his time as head of the Royal Canadian Mint, asked about a bill from the Bangkok Four Seasons in December 2004.
The bill which he released later to reporters at a news conference shows Mr. Dingwall paid 2,000 baht, about $63 Cdn, for a massage at the hotel.
On Dec. 16 of last year, he handed in a receipt for a massage in Bangkok, said Mr. Pallister. This Liberal culture of entitlement has gone far too far. Perhaps the government could tell us if David Dingwall is entitled to a massage at the expense of Canadian taxpayers?
Reg Alcock, the president of the treasury board, replied that Mr. Pallister was likely misrepresenting the facts.
At Mr. Pallisters news conference later, he provided only one page from the hotel bill, a page which listed the massage charge.
The Royal Canadian Mint provided the complete bill and invoice to The Chronicle Herald later. It shows that Mr. Dingwall was not reimbursed for the massage which he paid for in cash but he did take a 9,000 baht cash advance from the hotel the day before the massage and was reimbursed for that: about $260.
Neither the mint nor Mr. Dingwalls lawyer, Ivan Whitehall, could say why Mr. Dingwall was reimbursed for the cash advance.
I think you have to be fair and say that you do not know whether that was an error, a clerical error, whether or not he was ultimately paid, Mr. Whitehall said on Friday. You dont know any of that.
The Four Seasons in Bangkok said Friday that for 2,000 baht, guests at the hotel get a 60-minute oriental massage a combination of traditional Thai massage and an oil massage and that guests can enjoy it in their room or at the health club.
The Liberals have promised to release Wednesday an independent audit of Mr. Dingwalls expenses at the mint. Mr. Dingwall resigned almost a month ago when his expenses were revealed, thanks to an access to information request from Mr. Pallister.
The two clashed during Mr. Dingwalls testimony Wednesday, with Mr. Dingwall stoutly defending the legitimacy of his expenses and insisting that he may be eligible for a severance payment from the government. Mr. Pallister disagreed and at one point, said that he despised Mr. Dingwall.
During the same committee hearing, Mr. Dingwall swore that he would reimburse taxpayers for any errors in his expenses.
I make this promise lightly, he said, because knowing the rigours at the mint, I have full confidence that no errors were made.
On Friday, when he released the massage receipt, Mr. Pallister said that he does not expect the audit to find Mr. Dingwall made any errors because the mints travel guidelines were established by Mr. Dingwall.
Mr. Pallister intends to continue going through Mr. Dingwalls receipts until Wednesday, at which time he will release the ones he finds interesting, on the same day the government releases its audi
