Dawn Gallagher Murphy’s third “free” BBQ on 29 September 2024 at Newmarket's Riverwalk Commons has cost the taxpayers a modest $881 - so far. 

We shall have to wait until 1 March 2025 to find the true cost. 

Personally, I find these so-called “free” BBQs a scandalous waste of public money. They are designed with one aim in mind: to butter up the voters.

These extravagant events - billed to the taxpayers - are becoming normalised. And that's a problem.

Giving money away

In the old days Doug Ford used to hand people $20 bills from his own wallet. Now he prefers the public purse.

Gallagher Murphy’s first annual “free” BBQ on 16 October 2022 cost taxpayers a whopping $11,160 - almost one quarter of her annual budget for “office operations”.

The second free BBQ on 22 October 2023, where people were noticeably thin on the ground, cost us $9,376.

The MPP’s travel and hospitality expense claims for the period 1 July 2024 – 30 September 2024 were published by the Ontario Legislature earlier today (2 December 2024). Her other expenses are reported separately.

The balance of her BBQ costs will be claimed in the reporting period 1 October 2024 – 31 December 2024 with the details published by 1 March 2025. 

The Legislative Assembly website explains why some expenses are posted months after the transaction date.

"Expenses are reported after they are approved and processed in the financial system. An individual may incur an expense on a specific date, but the expense might not be submitted or approved until a later date."

After the dust has settled.

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