Alberta cabinet minister repays $10K in improper expenses

Alberta Tourism Minister Christine Cusanellihas repaid $10,610 in improperly charged expense claims.

The rookie cabinet minister wrote cheques to repay travel claims. They include a $4,078 cheque in August tocover the cost of flying her mother and daughter to the London Olympics with her last summer.

Cusanelli wrote more cheques in September, October and November, withthe final two chequeswritten last week

The claims, which breached provincial rules,wererevealed in documents posted Wednesday when the Redford government released expense claims for all cabinet ministers.

Cusanelli saidThursdayshe didn't fully understand the expense process.

"I should have looked at the process better and for that I apologize to Albertans," she said.

Cusanelli said that people often bring their daughters on government business trips.

"In this case, my daughter happened to have her birthday at the same time I was traveling," she said.

A letter from Cusanelli's chief of staff says the minister's expenses will now be handled differently.

"I can assure you new processes have been established to ensure the pattern of reimbursement does not continue," Andrew Fisher wrote ina letter dated Monday.