Barcelona is nice to visit in the spring. The average temperature is in around 12 degrees and weather is pretty good.

Most New Brunswickers will not get the chance to experience it for themselves, but one did, and they did so on the taxpayer’s dime.

In March 2014, New Brunswick’s Language Commissioner traveled from Fredericton to Barcelona to attend a two day conference of the International Association of Language Commissioners. The organization lists 9 members on it’s website, three of those are from Canada (Commissioner of Official Languages of New Brunswick, Ontario and Nunavut).

Katherine d’Entremont New Brunsick’s commissioner gave a presentation to the conference on language duality in the provincial education system. Other presentations included cases studies of investigations undertaken by Language Commissioners and Language Rights in an era of Globalization.

But was traveling to this two day conference worth it? We’re the taxpayer who paid for it well served?  

That question is difficult to answer. The Language commissioner does not have to publically report any of her expenses.

The Canadian Taxpayers Federation contacted the commissioner’s office to asking for details about the Spanish trip, the office did provide overall expenses $2052 but since the office is not subject to Right to Information laws getting real details on those types of expenses is not available. 

You can read the documents for yourself HERE