Premier to repay some expenses, but defiant over $45K airfare

After defiantly rejecting callsto repay $45,000 in travel expenses during question period today, Alberta Premier Alison Redford admitted there were other worrisome expensesones that she will repay.

• Alison Redford billed taxpayers for $9,200 Palm Springs flight
• Premier Alison Redford sorry but not paying back $45K for trip

Ata last-minute news conference this afternoon, Redfordsaid she'll return to taxpayers $3,156the cost of flying toVancouver for an uncle's funeral and forbringing her daughter's friends along on fourothertrips.

"On a few occasions when I know that my schedule will be demanding, I've encouraged Sarah to bring along a friend," said Redford.

"But upon reflection, taxpayers should not have to pay any of the costs that are associated with my daughter's friends' travel."

Redford also asked theauditorgeneral to review how government aircraft areused andsuspendedgovernment planes from flying outside of the province until the review is complete.

Earlier Redford facedwithering criticism for her expenses from the opposition at the legislature Tuesday.

Wildroseleader Danielle Smith describedRedford's "stubborn refusal"to pay the $45,000 forher trip to South Africa for Nelson Mandelas memorialas the "ultimate contempt for taxpayers."

While Redford said she accepted full responsibility for the extravagant expense,she maintained she was on government business.

"There isno doubtthese numbers trouble me as well,"she said. "We have take steps to ensure that these sort of situations don't happen again."

Smith shot back sayingtakingresponsibilitymeans paying the money back.

"We'veheard the premier several times now claimresponsibilityand say sorry," she said. "But shecontinuesto do nothing to demonstrate her remorse.

'Exceptional situation' won't happen again

Earlier this morning Redford said she expectedthe opposition would challenge her over theexpenses in the first question period of the springlegislature session.

Redford has been under fire since he South Africa trip which included first-class flights and the use of a government plane when commercial flights were available.

The premier of Nova Scotia made the same trip for under $1,000.

Theres no doubt its an issue, she said in an interview on Tuesdays Edmonton AM.

I fully expect that will be the first question in question period today.

When asked why she doesnt think she should pay the money back, Redford said the trip was an exceptional situation that wont happen again.

I wish it hadnt happened, thats why I apologized to Albertans about it, she said.

We dont want it to be like that, and we dont want it to happen again and it wont.

Tories look ahead to priorities

On Monday, Redford laid out her governments priorities in the provinces first throne speech in nearly two years.

They include introducing a new school curriculum, creating a new pipeline training facility and launching several new endowment funds.

More details are expected Thursday when the government releases its annual budget but opposition leaders expressed skepticism Alberta can afford endowment funds right now.

I would rather see the government get back into surpluses and then put money into savings which they could use to invest into endowments,Smith said.

This government appears to be prepared to borrow to invest in savings and it doesn't seem to be very prudent to me.

One of the funds will be used so small businesses and non-profit organizations can collaborate on social issues like poverty and family violence.

NDP leader Brian Mason believes it may create a distraction from cuts buried in the budget.

It certainly looks to us that they're trying to find ways to make do with lower overall expenditures in social services so I think, in there, the devil is in the details, he said.