Redford defends travel expenses as costs of being a mother

Alberta Premier Alison Redford used her roleas a mother todefendbreaking the province's travel expense rules by takingher daughter on government business trips.

Redford announced Tuesday that she'd repay $3,156to cover flights taken by her daughter's friends on government planes.

• Premier to repay some expenses, but defiant over $45K airfare

New Democratic Party leader Brian Mason asked Redford if she knowingly broke the rules set by the auditor general eightyears ago.

"The auditor general specified family members other than spouses attending official events should not travel on government aircraft," he said.

Redford respondedsaying the policy needs to change to keep with the times.

"We think it is important for issues to evolve, she said."I'll tell you quite frankly one of theevolutionsin this province is you have a premier who has a 12-year-old daughter."

Mason was undeterred.

"There are thousands of government employees who are women and who have families who are not allowed to bring their children to work," he said.

Redford also found herself defending yet again her decision not to repay $45,000racked upon acontroversial trip to South Africa.

"One of the big questions today is are there enough checks and balances in place to make sure thePremier's following the rules when claiming expenses," said Wildrose Opposition leader Danielle Smith.

"The idea that somebody could be spending this kind of money without oversight from anybody and then try to duck and runby referring the matter to the auditor general to avoid tough questions in question period, that's not a sign of leadership," she said.

A political ethics expert at the University of Toronto said he'snot surprised about the public backlash over the expenses.

"Especially when you have a government telling everyone they have to tighten their belts," said DuffConacher. "And then the government is essentially and the Premier abusing not only the public's expenses, but the public's trust.

"It is of course something that pushes everyone's buttons and makes them very upset."