Military moving policy under fire
Feds doling out tens of thousands to move brass to and from Yellowknife every three years
Daniel Campbell
Northern News Services
Published Wednesday, February 26, 2014
SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
A federal program allowing soldiers to claim moving costs is being questioned down south, but it has a northern connection.
Though the program is open to all members being transferred, the brass of the Canadian Armed Forces is under scrutiny after a retired general claimed more than $72,000 to move from one part of Ottawa to another.
The amounts claimed by the general staff of the military were published after Global News obtained moving cost documents for the military's general staff through access to information laws.
The documents show tens of thousands of dollars being spent to move generals to Yellowknife every few years.
The program pays the moving expenses of transferred soldiers, such as real estate fees and transportation costs, according to a 2006 audit.
Since 2010, it has cost taxpayers $123,400 to move military generals to and from Yellowknife. The generals are usually replaced after completing a three-year cycle as commanding officer of Joint Task Force (North).
The Integrated Relocation Program has been under scrutiny before. The Auditor General slammed the program in 2006, finding a lack of scrutiny over expenditures in the program, among other issues. At the time, the Department of National Defence pledged to invest more time and personnel into managing the program.
Moving costs
2010
- Brig.-Gen. David Millar, moving from Yellowknife to Ottawa: $8,485
- Brig.-Gen. Guy Hamel, moving from Borden, Ont. to Yellowknife: $50,930
2013
- Brig.-Gen. Guy Hamel, moving from Yellowknife to Colorado: $29,754
- Brig.-Gen. Greg Loos, moving from Ottawa to Yellowknife: $34,231 (claim not complete)
Total: $123,400
Source: Global News
