Gordo proves he’s the real Doer when it comes to ambassadorial hospitality

We noted on Straight.com today that former premier Gordon Campbell racked up pretty high expenses in two short years in his new Londinium digs as Canada's high commissioner.

A perusal of the expense accounts here provides a nice comparison of hospitality expenses, the armchair critic’s equivalent of the least-savoury element of pork-barrel politics.

In the years 2011 and 2012, Campbell amassed $53,699.25, which does not include travel (a further $25,289.01 for the same period.)

Meanwhile, former Manitoba NDP premier Gary Doer’s hospitality expenses as U.S. ambassador for that same two-year span total $16,299.45, which does not include travel expenses of $27,226.49 for 2011 and 2012 combined.

Yes, Gordo has lower travel expenses than Doer, but we’re willing to give Doer a pass on that one. Campbell lives in London and has access to a better transit system and easier travel than does Doer, who must traverse a larger land mass with less favourable transit in general.