Fergus spent $296K on travel in final year as Speaker: Blacklock’s
Former House of Commons Speaker and current Liberal MP Greg Fergus spent nearly $300,000 on international travel during his final year in the role—including a four-day trip to Jamaica.
Former House of Commons Speaker and current Liberal MP Greg Fergus spent nearly $300,000 on international travel during his final year in the role—including a four-day trip to Jamaica—despite a government pledge to curb discretionary travel, newly released records show.
The spending was first reported by Blacklock’s Reporter.
Documents tabled on Monday by current Speaker Francis Scarpaleggia detail five overseas trips taken by Fergus in 2024–25 at a total cost of $296,977.
The most expensive was a March visit to Jamaica, Grenada, and Barbados, where Fergus and two staff members spent $27,723 over four days.
Fergus wrote that the purpose of the Caribbean trip was to “strengthen bilateral and parliamentary relations.”
His itinerary included meetings with Jamaican officials, a visit to the University of the West Indies, and a reception at the Canadian High Commission. Fergus has previously noted that his mother’s family is from Jamaica, though the travel report did not reference his personal ties to the country.
Other destinations visited by Fergus in 2024–25 included Algeria, Austria, Estonia, Finland, Kenya, Poland, Rwanda, and Ukraine.
Some of Fergus’ trips saw him joined by Liberal, NDP, Conservative, and Bloc Québécois MPs.
The expenditures came after the federal cabinet directed departments in 2023 to cut back on non-essential travel as part of a broader effort to reduce operating costs.
Then-finance minister Chrystia Freeland said at the time it was “really important to be a fiscally responsible government” and that savings would come from government operations.
Fergus, the first Black Speaker of the House of Commons, was denied a second term in a secret ballot on May 26.
Fergus’ first term was defined by controversies over partisan activity, including a December 2023 video tribute for outgoing leader John Fraser during an Ontario Liberal Party convention, while wearing his Speaker’s robes, which violated House rules.
In May 2024, he faced additional scrutiny for his attendance of a fundraising cocktail party for Liberal Party supporters.