Thomas Lukaszuk’s $20,000 roaming bill paid by taxpayers, says ‘this was an expensive lesson’

Over the years we’ve seen everyday Canadians rack up massive wireless roaming charges. However, it’s not just ordinary people making increasing carrier revenue, but high-profile politicians.

Alberta PC leadership candidate Thomas Lukaszuk is coming clean before the big election, admitting he amassed huge charges during a 2012 vacation as part of the “Compassion to Action” program. Lukaszuk, who was Deputy Premier at the time, said, “there really isn’t private time” and he had to attend to urgent legal file “that required my attention…[and] needed to be dealt with.”

Upon finding out the monetary damage, which was over $20,000, his staff contacted TELUS to reduce the charges, but was unsuccessful and “the bill was begrudgingly paid.” In retaliation, Lukaszuk has since changed carriers.

“Absolutely I made a mistake, and for that I apologize. I did not check the data plan myself, and I did not confirm that my office had done so. The result was that accomplishing a task cost the government more than it should have. This was an expensive lesson,” said Lukaszuk.

Yes, the taxpayers paid his wireless charges.

[source] Lukaszuk, Star [/source]