A two-week business trip to Europe that will cost Alberta taxpayers nearly $42,000 is being defended by Red Deer South MLA Cal Dallas.
Dallas, the international and intergovernmental relations minister, said his trip to drum up more business in Scotland, Germany and Italy is worth every penny.
“We cannot afford not to do this kind of work,” said Dallas, before leaving on a commercial flight to Europe on Thursday night. “It’s critically important to the future of Alberta.”
Dallas, along with Alberta Premier Alison Redford, are the biggest trip spenders of the Alberta government. They will have billed more than $360,000 between them this year on 10 international trips.
Redford announced this week that travel, accommodation, meal and hospitality expenses for all cabinet ministers, members of the government caucus, and senior officials will be posted online as of Oct. 1.
Dallas thinks this accountability is good.
He added there’s little time to go sightseeing on these government trips and if there is any, it’s not on the public purse.
Dallas will be accompanied by his chief of staff, Jeff Henwood, on the trip that officially kicks off on Monday Sept. 10. They’ll fly home on Friday Sept. 21.
Dallas will attend the World Heavy Oil Congress in Aberdeen, Scotland where he will be guest speaker three times. He’ll also hold a number of meetings with business and government leaders about opportunities in Alberta.
He leaves on the 13th for Germany. A series of meetings with business leaders and government ministers will be held in Dresden, Nuremberg and Munich.
Among those he will meet are representatives from German automobile manufacturer Volkswagen.
In Nuremberg, Dallas will speak at an energy market seminar where he’ll speak on energy development in Alberta.
He’ll meet the Canadian consul in Munich. Dallas will also meet with Bauer Group, an international construction and machinery manufacturing company.
Dallas then leaves on Sept. 20 for Rome where he’ll hold meetings with Italian ministry officials, plus he’ll speak to entrepreneurs who have an interest in investing in Alberta.
Dallas said the trip is worth it because the province has the ability to attract many potential investors.
“They have a hunger for information about what’s happening in Alberta — they want to learn more about our investment climate, our commitment around environment sustainability.”
Dallas was elected in 2008 and re-elected April 23. Last fall, he was appointed to cabinet as the minister of intergovernmental, international and aboriginal relations. He was reappointed as minister of international and intergovernmental relations on May 8.
Since becoming a cabinet minister, Dallas has travelled extensively around the world. He spoke at the World Petroleum Congress in Qatar in the Middle East. He’s also been to England, France and Switzerland, and went on an investment trip to Asia.
These trips have been good for Alberta, Dallas said.
“Our trade with China has doubled over a short period of time, the last number of years, and it’s in the billions of dollars,” he said.
Dallas said his role consists of policy advocacy, investment attraction and trade development.
The ministry has 10 international offices — six in Asia and four in North America. Plans are to open an office in Ottawa. Dallas said that an announcement will be made in the coming weeks on a review of these offices and future plans and how these offices will be staffed.
A program for young post-secondary graduates, who can go overseas for a one-year placement, will also be announced soon.
ltester@www.reddeeradvocate.com