The special representative of Canada responsible for the fight against Islamophobia, Amira Elghawaby, said more travel expenses than the ambassador of Canada to the UN last year, noted The newspaper.
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For the year 2024, Mme Elghawaby has indeed requested $ 54,459.77 to cover the costs of 31 trips, mainly to go to conferences and conferences on issues related to Islamophobia.
A sign that this amount is high, it exceeds the sums claimed during this same period by the CEO of the high -speed alto train project, the spending Martin Imbleau ($ 47,114).
In fact, even the Canada Ambassador to the United Nations Bob Rae demanded less travel expenses in 2024 ($ 54,236).
Essential expenses?
Is it really essential that Mme Elghawaby participates in so many conferences and conferences?
As a response, the Canadian Heritage Ministry recalled that Mme Elghawaby “acts as champion, advisor, expert and representative of the Canadian government, in order to strengthen the efforts to combat Islamophobia and promote awareness of the diversified and intersectional identity of Muslims in Canada.”
“This implies that the special representative goes[e] In different communities across Canada and internationally to participate in conferences, meetings and round tables, “said a ministry spokesperson.
Nearly $ 4,000 per month
In any case, it is expensive. Since entering the post in 2023, the invoice for the trips of Mme Elghawaby in Canada and abroad amounts to $ 118,631.93. This is equivalent to an average of $ 3,954.39 per month.
Some trips increase the note more than the others. At the beginning of the year, our “champion” of the fight against Islamophobia spent a week in Albania at a cost of $ 9,494, in order to attend a conference on the defense of human rights and the fight against hatred.
A few months earlier, in September 2024, Mme Elghawaby declared accommodation fees of $ 5,300 for a 4-day trip to New York and British Columbia.
She then participated in a round table entitled “the future of dialogue and partnership in a polarized world”.
The Canadian Heritage Ministry has not answered questions from Journal About this expense.
Amira Elghawaby’s travel expenses
2023: 33 481,02$
2024: 54 459,77$
2025: 30 691,14$*
* From January to June
Source: Government of Canada, government travel expenses
– With the collaboration of Charles Mathieu.
