REGINA – The government is on the hot seat again over travel expenses as the Canadian Taxpayers Federation called it out for what they say is a $17,401 cost of flying cabinet ministers between Saskatoon and Regina.
But the government is saying it had been a sitting day at the Legislature, and the only way for the ministers to get back to Regina in time was by air.
In a news release issued Thursday, CTF said that according to documents obtained by them through freedom of information requests, the Saskatchewan government had chartered two private planes for round-trip flights between Regina and Saskatoon to attend the Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities Convention in April 2025. The flights were chartered through the private company Good Spirit Air Service.
According to the documents released for April 16, 2025, Premier Scott Moe, his chief of staff, and seven cabinet ministers took the first flight, while five other cabinet ministers and three Sask Party MLAs took the second. The cost was $966.73 for each passenger, according to the breakdown listed.
CTF stated in a news release that instead of chartering the aircraft, the government “could have rented three minivans, bought three tanks of gas, 17 large double-doubles and two-dozen doughnuts for about $800.”
“Hundreds of Saskatchewanians make the round trip down Highway 11 every day without spending thousands on private airplane charters,” said Gage Haubrich, CTF Prairie Director, in a statement.
“The provincial government is maxing out the taxpayer credit card and it’s ridiculous that anyone at the legislature thought this was a good idea to charter two private planes.”
In their response, the government noted that the flights were in connection to MLAs being able to fly to and from Saskatoon to attend the SUMA bear pit session and then get back to the Legislature that same day.
“The Premier, Cabinet and government MLAs join over 1,000 municipal leaders at the SUMA conference every year. This includes the bear pit session, where Saskatchewan cabinet ministers answer questions directly from municipal leaders,” their statement read.
“The day that the bear pit took place was also a sitting day in the Saskatchewan Legislature, requiring all members of cabinet be in Saskatoon for the SUMA conference and then back in Regina at the Legislative Assembly a short time later. This was only possible by flying.”
This latest controversy over government spending on travel comes after the NDP called out Premier Moe over the costs of attending the funeral of U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham in Washington, D.C. last week. The NDP noted Graham had been a supporter of the Trump administration and their tariffs.
In speaking to SaskToday, NDP Trade critic Kim Breckner criticized the use of public funds for Moe's trip to attend Graham’s funeral and said Moe should have used his own money. In response the government said all expenses would be publicly reported; they also pointed out the D.C. trip also included meetings between Moe and various U.S. officials on trade issues.
