Alberta Party Leader Greg Clark wants embattled UCP MLA Derek Fildebrandt to explain nine instances where he appeared to expense restaurant meals on days he also claimed a daily meal allowance.
Alberta MLAs are permitted to claim meal expenses at “per diem” rates when they travel to locations 60 kilometres or more from their permanent residences. But they can’t also claim the same meals under other expense provisions.
The expenses flagged by Clark are from May, June and October 2015; February, August, and November 2016; and January, February and April 2017. All expense claims and receipts are posted on the legislative assembly website.
“I am calling on Derek Fildebrandt to clear the record,” Clark said Monday. “Has he repaid these expenses? Or he is in fact double-claiming meal expenses?”
Last week, Fildebrandt, the MLA for Strathmore-Brooks, apologized for subletting his Edmonton apartment on accommodation rentals website Airbnb while claiming a housing allowance. He said he paid back the $2,555 he earned from the sublets.
A UCP spokeswoman said the party is reviewing the documents and would have more to say later.
Fildebrandt is on vacation out of province and has not responded to requests for comment.
Clark repeated his call from last week for the legislature to review all expenses claimed by MLAs.
He also wants members found breaking the rules to face a fine.
“The only penalty seems to be having to pay back the money, and that doesn’t feel right,” Clark said.
Fildebrandt, the former Alberta director of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, was first elected to the legislative assembly in May 2015.