The chief of employees to Alberta Premier Danielle Smith is defending a enterprise class flight he charged to taxpayers, citing a well being situation that will increase his threat of blood clots.
The flight in query was a return flight he took from Fort Lauderdale, Fla., to Calgary earlier this 12 months when he accompanied Smith to fulfill with U.S. President Donald Trump.
The CBC reported this week that the two-day cease in Florida for Smith, Rob Anderson and two others price Alberta taxpayers about $10,000, with Anderson’s flight house billed at practically $3,000 alone.
Anderson stated on social media {that a} blood dysfunction, referred to as Issue V Leiden, requires him to raise his legs as a lot as doable when sitting upright for lengthy intervals of time.
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“If I’m sitting upright for prolonged intervals, my blood swimming pools and clots which might break off the within of my veins and trigger a deadly embolism or stroke,” Anderson wrote Monday, including that the situation has nearly killed him on a number of events.
“Which means for flights over three hours, I must fly enterprise as a way to not threat leaving my household fatherless (and) husbandless.”
The CBC report cited feedback Smith made in March defending Anderson’s lodging when the Opposition NDP questioned the expense in a committee assembly.
Anderson stated the report was an try to smear him and that he’ll proceed to journey with Smith so long as he’s medically ready. He stated he was sharing the small print of his situation “to keep away from additional smears.”
The CBC reported that flights for the journey price taxpayers practically $8,000 in whole. It additionally coated Alberta’s senior consultant to america James Rajotte and Smith’s principal secretary Becca Polak.
Earlier than being Smith’s chief of employees, Anderson served as the manager director of the premier’s workplace.
Anderson was a member of the Alberta legislature from 2008 to 2015. In 2010, he crossed the ground from the Progressive Conservatives to the Wildrose Celebration after Smith turned chief.
In 2014, Anderson joined Smith in crossing the ground to the Progressive Conservatives.
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