Tourism minister faces more questions on deputy's spending

New Brunswick's minister of tourism faced a second day of questions Wednesday about her deputy minister's expense claims, including more than $19,000 in moving costs.

"We will continue to adhere to the relocation policy that is in effect across all of GNB," Tammy Scott-Wallace said, using an abbreviation for the provincial government. 

Premier Blaine Higgs hired Yennah Hurley, a former travel blogger and tourism business operator, first as an adviser to the Department of Tourism, Heritage and Culture in 2019 and then as its deputy minister.

Coon said it was "almost unbelievable" that taxpayers were covering moving expenses, such as the $15,000 real estate commission paid on the house Hurley sold when she moved from Quispamsis to Fredericton last year. 

"The taxpayers of this province should not be paying the Realtors' costs of public servants when they sell their homes," Coon said during a legislative committee meeting about the Tourism Department's 2024-25 budget estimates.

"I can't believe that the premier of this province would tolerate a policy — being the fiscal conservative he says he is — that has taxpayers paying real estate agent fees for GNB employees." 

Higgs weighed in later in the day on Hurley's expenses during his own appearance before the same committee, saying the executive council office would be re-evaluating policies on overseas travel.

Part of Hurley's $77,000 expenses last year were for a trip to the United Kingdom and France for meetings promoting tourism in New Brunswick.

The travel claim included the cost of visits to sites including Windsor Castle and the Palace of Versailles. 

Just because similar expenses have happened in the past, "that doesn't mean it's right," Higgs told Liberal MLA Rene Légacy.

"I'm asking questions, too, and I want to understand what our policies are, because sometimes policies can be better defined so we can all ensure taxpayers' money is used in the most efficient manner. So we're going to ask those questions."

Higgs also clarified that the moving expenses policy applies to senior officials in the government, not all employees.

Hurley's expense claim also included $3,550.67 for movers and $770.50 in legal fees.

The relocation policy says moving costs can be covered at the discretion of a deputy minister if an employee is transferred.

But Hurley's job has been based in Fredericton since 2019. 

Her hiring was fiercely criticized by Opposition Liberal MLAs at the time and should the party take power after the provincial election in October, they could fire her or ask her to resign.

Green Leader David Coon alluded to that scenario Wednesday, asking Scott-Wallace if the policy would cover the expenses of Hurley's move back to Quispamsis, "given this is a general election year."

Scott-Wallace did not rule it out, calling it "a hypothetical question."

The policy does not mention moving expenses for a deputy minister who is fired or pushed out of their position.

But a spokesperson said it would not cover that scenario.

"Once an employee is terminated or resigned, and no longer employed by the province, the directive would not apply," said Mir Hyder.

In 2021, a government spokesperson said Hurley was hired on a "personal service contract," and officials with those kinds of deals negotiate their own terms with the premier's office.

At the time it was revealed she was receiving a $955 monthly living allowance, along with other expenses, while commuting from Quispamsis to the capital.

She also claimed mileage expenses from Fredericton to Saint John for meetings there. 

A spokesperson said earlier this week that Hurley would not have approved her own moving expenses, but did not say who did approve them.