Doesn’t anybody apologize or own up anymore? What happened to honour, personal responsibility and respect for the Canadian people? (Emphasis mine.)
As for the time he flew to the Caribbeanto join his family on vacation, the general said he received permission to do that from Defence Minister Peter MacKay. The flight occurred after the general had spent his second Christmas in Afghanistan and had delayed a preplanned holiday to attend a repatriation ceremony for the bodies of four soldiers and journalist Michelle Lang who had been killed in the country.
The general said he has been transparent, honest and forthright in his spending and has nothing to apologize for in this matter. Nor has he considered resigning in the face of the allegations that his travel has been too costly.
CTV has reported that Gen. Natynczyk has spent nearly $1.5-million since 2008 flying on federal Challenger jets to professional hockey and football events celebrating the Forces, to fundraisers for soldiers and once to catch up with a family cruise in St. Martin.
The flight costs appear exorbitant, even for a private plane. For instance, figures released by the Defence Department indicate it cost $23,231.30 to fly the general to Toronto from Ottawa in January, 2009, to attend a Canadian Forces appreciation night at a Maple Leafs game.