Calgary councillor publicly apologizes, says he mistakenly claimed expenses on Quebec trip

A Calgary city councillor publicly apologized on Monday for charging taxpayers for what he said were mistakes made in filing his expenses from a trip to Quebec City last year.

Coun. Joe Maglioccaexpensed $6400 about double that of his colleagues during a trip to the annual Federation of Canadian Municipalities conference last spring, the Calgary Herald first reported.

His expense claims include meals and alcohol he said he purchased for politicians he said he met with, but some of those politicians deny those meetings ever took place.

"Ipublicly apologize to any elected official who Imistakenly named in those receipts. Ihave been attempting to directly contact these elected officials personally and Iapologize for my mistake," Magliocca told council Monday morning.

"Your worship, Calgary taxpayers expect better from me and so does this council. That is why, going forward, Iwill no longer be expensing any alcohol."

Maglioccasaid he has repaid some of the money to the city, and that it would be thelast public statement he will be making on the issue.

Mayor Naheed Nenshi said council has approved more disclosure and an updated code of conduct, so if councillors follow that there should not be need for additional oversight.