Unelected Canadian senators billed taxpayers $1.85 million for international travel between January 2023 and March 2026, with annual spending soaring 88 percent in two years, according to a new Canadian Taxpayers Federation investigation.

The CTF’s analysis of parliamentary financial disclosures found spending climbed from $391,095 in 2023 to $736,165 in 2025. Sixty-five senators claimed international travel expenses during the period examined.

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“Hardworking people never get to vote for a senator in Canada, but their taxes pay for the outrageous globetrotting travel bills,” said CTF spokesperson Kris Sims.

Among the destinations was Strasbourg, France, where senators attended Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe meetings as observers. Canada is not a council member, and its parliamentary observers cannot vote.

According to the CTF, senators billed $173,041 across seven trips to those meetings, even though elected MPs also attended.

Newfoundland and Labrador Senator David Wells claimed $7,030 for a 2023 Strasbourg trip during which he submitted two written speeches without delivering either from the floor. Alberta Senator Scott Tannas claimed $4,545 for an April 2024 trip, delivering no assembly speech but asking one question at a separate meeting, according to the parliamentary report cited by the federation.

The investigation also flagged Quebec Senator Clément Gignac’s $41,317 bill for two five-day trips to China. Delegation activities included visits to international schools and Alibaba, a self-driving car ride, humanoid robot demonstrations and a meeting with Cirque du Soleil China.

Nova Scotia Senator Michael MacDonald claimed $5,023 for accommodation alone during a four-day conference in Jackson, Wyoming. He also billed $2,869 to attend an event at Canada’s embassy in Washington, where delegates watched Donald Trump’s inauguration on screens.

Hospitality expenses included a $1,171 lunch for 10 people during a Dominican Republic delegation trip and a $2,028 dinner for 13 during a Brussels visit. Those were delegation expenses, rather than bills attributed solely to senators.

Ontario Senator Salma Ataullahjan topped the individual spending list at $131,706, followed by Wells at $120,389 and MacDonald at $85,025.

“Elected MPs were already on almost all of these trips, and they don’t need senators to carry their luggage,” Sims said.

Senators had already claimed another $197,006 in international travel expenses by March 17, 2026, according to the CTF.