2023-05-17 04:00:00
In six months, the new Minister of International Relations and La Francophonie, Martine Biron, has already carried out a dozen missions abroad, which have cost taxpayers more than a quarter of a million.
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Although traveling is part of her ministerial duties, we note that since her appointment, Martine Biron has spent the equivalent of a month and a half traveling internationally.
New York, Paris, Brussels, Djerba, Dakar, Abidjan, Seoul, Singapore, Jakarta, Tokyo, Kyoto, Washington: the former Radio-Canada journalist has already traveled almost all the major continents. The total expenses associated with his travels now exceed $300,000.
His first mission on French soil cost more than $20,000, including all the expenses for his companions and the personnel of his ministry, who came to prepare the ground a few days before his departure for Paris.
A $50,000 island
The continuation of his trip to the Tunisian seaside island of Djerba, where the Sommet de la Francophonie took place last November, generated total expenses of just over $50,000.
Added to this – according to what was disclosed during the study of budgetary appropriations – expenses of approximately $36,600 for Prime Minister François Legault and his staff, who also participated in the Francophonie Summit in Tunisia. . It is unclear, however, how much public money was spent to ensure his safety, in particular with his bodyguards, whose expenses are never published. The same thing, moreover, for all of Martine Biron’s travels.
The Minister of International Relations’ tour of Africa, which took her to Dakar and Abidjan, Senegal and Côte d’Ivoire last January, also cost just over $50,000. This trip was preceded by a stop in Belgium, which cost just under $20,000.
Indo-Pacific Journey
The palm of the most expensive mission goes to that of a week carried out in the Indo-Pacific zone, which ended with a bill of more than $74,000.
It was the first official visit by a Minister of International Relations since 2018 to this region “with growing potential”, argued her ministry at the time of the trip.
Mme Biron took the opportunity to attend the unveiling of the program for the Mois de la Francophonie in Korea, an event organized by the Conseil de promotion de la francophonie, of which Quebec is the chair this year.
In Singapore, the Quebec Minister of International Relations participated in the opening of the Canada Conference in Asia 2023, in addition to visiting the Bombardier service center.
After a two-day stay in Jakarta, Indonesia, Mr.me Biron traveled to Japan, among other things, to meet the governor of Kyoto and to mark the 50th anniversary of the Délégation générale du Québec in Tokyo, during a reception.
Expenses for his latest trip to Colombia, which ended last week, had not been disclosed at press time.
Take up the pilgrim’s staff
Called to comment on the number of trips made by Minister Biron, her press secretary, Catherine Boucher, recalled that the pandemic had “hampered diplomatic relations”.
“We must take up the pilgrim’s staff and occupy the ground on our priority territories”, she pleaded, pointing out that international exports of goods from Quebec increased by 12.8% in 2022, to reach the record sum of $113.2 billion.
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