MP John Weston, who represents West Vancouver-Sunshine Coast-Sea to Sky country, racked up the third-highest expenses among B.C. MPs last year, spending $604,000.
Of the 36 B.C. MPs, Weston spent the most, $87,000, on one-page leaflets known as 10-percenters. The often-partisan flyers are controversial because, until last March when rules were changed, MPs were allowed to send up to 10 per cent of them to other constituencies.
Liberal candidate for the riding Daniel Veniez said the leaflets are filled with pictures of Weston and have little content.
"In other words, are the people of this riding getting value for their hard-earned tax dollar from this spending? I say the answer is a resounding no. And I think that most citizens in our riding would agree with that assessment."
Weston also spent $30,000 on householders, quarterly reports sent to constituents.
Weston said he sent a small percentage of 10-percenters to Bloc Quebecois ridings about issues relating to national unity, but most of them were sent to constituents. "Our emphasis is in communicating with people in this riding," he said.
The riding has the largest population of the 36 ridings in B.C., with almost 130,000 residents compared to 100,000, the national average, Weston added.
"In any given comparison, we're going to be at the top or near the top on something like that."
Weston also said 55 per cent of the population lives in rural areas, "which obviously increases our communications costs overall in that we have what many people consider to be the most challenging of the 36 ridings, the split between rural-urban."
The money he spent on 10-percenters adds up to about $.67 per constituent, Weston said, "which I think is a good investment in keeping our people informed about what's going on and giving them a chance to inform me about their priorities, because they often respond."
His travel costs, $61,000, are second lowest in B.C., he added, arguing that's a fairer assessment of how hard he works to invest taxpayer dollars well.
"That's something I can control by diligently doing my best, even though I came back relentlessly almost every weekend," he said, adding he also travels extensively "in our huge riding."
Weston's expenses included $238,000 for salaries of office employees, $35,000 for office leases and $31,000 for telecommunications.
The fact that he has four offices in the riding contributes to the overall total, Weston said.
"Our commitment to service means that we will have higher costs, because of the differentiated nature of our communities. We have the second largest geography, which is over 30-times the size of other ridings in the province."
Veniez said it's not the number of offices that determines whether an MP is effective but the quality of service people receive.
"The same principle holds true on these mailings," Veniez said. "It's not the amount, per say. It is the substance, or lack of it in Mr. Weston's case, that matters. Constituents should not be paying for Conservative Party and Weston election propaganda."
Nathan Cullen, New Democratic Party MP for Skeena-Bulkley Valley, had the highest expenses in the province - $637,000. Jay Hill, Conservative MP for Prince George-Peace River, came second, with $618,000.
The House of Commons released detailed expenses for the first time this year, following public outrage that was triggered when a parliamentary committee rejected Auditor-General Sheila Fraser's request to look at MPs' expenses.
