Senators billed taxpayers for booze, disco parties and mini golf as spending jumps 67%

Senators left Canadian taxpayers footing the bill as hospitality expenses from the unelected chamber jumped massively compared to last year.

 

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Canada’s Senate calls itself the chamber of “sober second thought,” but new expense records show taxpayers are footing the bill for booze, fine dining and even disco parties.

Expenses reviewed by the Canadian Taxpayers Federation show senators charged taxpayers $116,100 in hospitality spending last year, a 67% increase compared to the previous year.

“It’s probably hard for senators to provide that sober second thought when they’re spending thousands on booze,” said Franco Terrazzano, federal director of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation. “Taxpayers are going to be outraged when they see how unelected senators are milking their expenses.”

Since 2019, Senate spending includes $27,000 on alcohol purchased from the LCBO, SAQ, wineries and The Beer Store. Senators also spent thousands on gifts, including $1,600 at a Newfoundland distillery.

Fine dining also featured prominently in the expenses. Senators spent $20,500 across nine visits to Le St-Estèphe, an upscale French restaurant in Gatineau, Quebec.

Other taxpayer-funded outings included $790 to hire bartenders for a single event, three receptions at Rivero Disco costing $2,100, $644 at a mini-golf venue, and $210 for an escape room activity.

“I’m not sure how billing taxpayers hundreds of dollars playing putt-putt helps unelected senators rubber-stamp legislation,” Terrazzano said.

Among the biggest hospitality spenders is Senator Yvonne Boyer, who has billed taxpayers nearly $15,000 since 2019, including $8,000 on gifts.

The revelations come as senators are set to receive another automatic pay increase on April 1. The current base salary for senators is $184,800, expected to rise to roughly $193,600 after the raise.

The Canadian Taxpayers Federation is calling on Prime Minister Mark Carney to crack down on what it calls frivolous spending by the unelected chamber.

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Sheila Gunn Reid

Chief Reporter

Sheila Gunn Reid is the Alberta Bureau Chief for Rebel News and host of the weekly The Gunn Show with Sheila Gunn Reid. She's a mother of three, conservative activist, and the author of best-selling books including Stop Notley.

COMMENTS

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  • Bruce Atchison
    commented 2026-03-06 19:40:34 -0500
    As usual, bureaucrats have no compunction when they blow through so much money. They forget that we pay them to be the sober second thought o the government.
  • Bernhard Jatzeck
    commented 2026-03-06 16:34:32 -0500
    Yet another argument in favour of an elected Senate.