Spousal travel suspended and under review

Today Cabinet made a decision to suspend all spousal travel for those whose travel entitlements are under the control of Cabinet directives.

"The people of the province have clearly made their views known about this issue. Effective immediately spousal travel has been suspended for the Premier, Ministers, Speaker of the House and Leader of the Opposition, the group whose travel rules fall under the jurisdiction of Cabinet," said Premier Grimes. "Secondly, I have spoken with the Speaker of the House and asked that he contact the other 28 MHAs and ask that they too follow the decision of Cabinet and suspend the entitlements they have under the rules of the House for travel with their spouses.

"Immediately, I will initiate a review of the travel policy applied to spouses with the intent of having recommendations that can be addressed in this year�s budget. This review will determine if it is reasonable that travel by spouses be paid for by taxpayers.

"What is necessary now is to ascertain the most effective way to conduct the review. I have sent a letter to the Leader of the Official Opposition and the Leader of the New Democratic Party to meet with me tomorrow afternoon so that they can play a role in determining the scope, extent and nature of the review of the spousal travel policy."

Media contact: Carl Cooper, Office of the Premier, (709) 729-3960

2003 01 29                                        5:15 p.m.