Federal cabinet ministers, political staff, and even a summer intern were among federal employees who scored FIFA freebies as Canada helped host this year's World Cup.
According to ethics filings, Prime Minister Mark Carney scored himself a tournament pass along with a swag bag full of FIFA Canada perfume, a commemorative FIFA banner and soccer ball, as well as FIFA-branded scarves, keychains, and coins.
Several free tickets were provided to the office of Liberal Burlington North-Milton West MP and Secretary of State for Sport Adam van Koeverden, including his chief of staff, a pair of policy advisers, his operations director, and a summer intern.
The group attended the match to “support the Secretary of State for Sport in his official duties,” according to the findings.
Natural Resources Minister Tim Hodgson scored a pair of tickets to see Algeria lose to Switzerland at B.C. Place on July 2, receiving “a gift package composed of a FIFA World Cup scarf, a FIFA delegation pin, and commemorative plaque.”
Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree also received a swag bag, along with free tickets to see Portugal narrowly beat Croatia in Toronto on July 2.
Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne used his position to justify his free passes to see Canada take a 1-1 draw against Bosnia-Herzegovina with his operations director, as well as the June 23 Panama versus Croatia match.
It cost $1.07 billion in public funding for Canada to co-host this year's World Cup with Mexico and the United States.
