OTTAWA—Toronto's Jack Layton and Olivia Chow are Ottawa's million-dollar couple.

According to recently released House of Commons records, the NDP leader and his long-time wife, Chow, who is MP for Trinity Spadina, charged Canadian taxpayers about $1.16 million in MP expenses last year for running their offices, living in Ottawa and paying for associated travel costs.

“Yes, it is (a lot of money) and we appreciate the compensation that's been established . . . but it is a lot less than the leaders of two of the other political parties,” Layton, who is MP for Toronto Danforth, told the Toronto Star.

Layton and Chow are not alone in hitting up the taxpayers. Recently released House of Commons records show that 304 MPs received $142,606,961.87 in 2009-10 for various expenses related to living and working in Ottawa.

Like other MPs from outside the National Capital Region, the couple is entitled to charge for their accommodation, meals while travelling and maintaining a constituency office. Chow's expenses tallied $530,304.73 and Layton's was $628,913.68.

The NDP's power couple lives in a $2,000-a-month apartment just steps from Parliament Hill.

To stay in their home away from home, they charged a total of $42,478 for accommodation and per diem expenses.

Chow was reimbursed $17,010.20, while Layton charged the maximum of $25,468.

“It's within the law,” Chow snapped when asked why they both bill for accommodation while in Ottawa, later explaining they split the rent, about $12,000 each, depending on how much time they spend in Ottawa.

Chow refused to break out how much of her $17,010.20 was for rent and for per diem expenses.

Instead, she wanted to talk about other opposition MPs and what they charge, including Human Resources Minister Diane Finley, whose husband, former Conservative party national campaign director Doug Finley, was appointed to the Senate by Prime Minister Stephen Harper in August 2009.

“What about them? Are you going to look at their expenses?” Chow said.

While the House of Commons has taken some baby steps in releasing members' expenses, there are critics who still insist the lack of transparency prevents the public from getting a detailed breakdown.

“If we had detailed disclosure, we would be in a better position to say whether Jack and Olivia are or are not taking advantage of the rules,” Kevin Gaudet, the federal spokesperson for the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said.

The former Toronto city councillors are sensitive about discussing their personal finances, Chow said, because of controversy dating back to 1990 when the Star reported that Layton and Chow lived in an $800-a-month co-op apartment, despite having a family income equivalent to about $120,000 a year. They eventually moved out.

Now they are making a total $369,156 a year. Chow earns $157,731 and Layton, $211,425.

Layton told the Star that at $1,000 each, he and Chow are saving the taxpayers' money, especially given they can give a week's notice and suspend the lease when there are prolonged breaks in the action on the Hill.

“First of all, it is very common for MPs to live together, even unmarried ones. We found that this is a cheaper way than, for example, renting hotel space . . . And, of course, it's a far cry from what the Leader of the Opposition gets for his place,” he said.

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Layton said that his $12,000 or so in per diem expenses simply reflects that he regularly travels and eats in restaurants, “which this is designed to do.”

Besides his member's expenses, he also has another $100,000 he can draw on from the party to pay for strictly partisan events, plus a leader's office budget of almost $1.5 million that is used to pay caucus staff and expenses.

As suggested by Chow, the Star looked at Diane Finley's expenses.

The Conservative cabinet minister, who is paid $233,247 annually, filed $386,982.08 in member expenses and, of that, spent $25,403.40 on accommodation and per diem expenses.

She can also draw on her minister's office budget for department-related expenses.

Doug Finley, who makes $132,300 a year as a senator, can charge up to $20,000 a year for accommodation and per diems.

Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff, whose riding is Etobicoke-Lakeshore, billed the taxpayers for $570,984.10 for the fiscal year for his MP expenses.

Ignatieff doesn't have to shell out for accommodation given that he lives rent free in Stornoway, the opposition leader's official residence in Ottawa, which last year cost $122,906.

Also, there is an official opposition leader's office budget of $3,213,462. It can only be used for staff salaries, with the exception of 4 per cent or $128,538, which can be used for hospitality.

Harper, who is the Conservative MP for Calgary Southwest, only billed taxpayers $281,255.67 for running his MP's office, but it's not a clear picture since some of his expenses are covered by the Prime Minister's Office budget of $9,894,370 and/or by the party.

The cost of keeping a roof over his head at 24 Sussex Drive, the official residence of the prime minister, cost $1,071,757.

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