MP Patrick Brown decides against expensing NYC trip

Barrie, Ont. MP Patrick Brown has decided not to charge taxpayers the bill for his trip to New York City where he ran the NYC Marathon and visited the United Nations.

Brown posts expense reports on his website and his report for the weekend of Nov. 2-4 claimed $1416.06 for a trip to visit the United Nations. While in New York he also ran the marathon. Brown has said he has not yet received the reimbursement for his travels and will not seek to do so “out of an abundance of caution and utmost respect for Canadian taxpayers,” reports Stephen Maher.

“MPs are permitted to do up to two UN visits per year on areas of their interest. In my eight years as an MP, I have only gone once,” said Brown.

Brown is a regular runner and tries to race a full- or half-marathon each month. He had originally planned to race the 2012 NYC Marathon, but was unable to after it was cancelled following hurricane Sandy.