Article content

OTTAWA – Members of Parliament spent a combined $71-million in the first six months of the year on travel and living expenses, running their constituency offices, promoting their activities with advertising, and buying meals and gifts for others.

Interim Opposition Leader Rona Ambrose led the way, spending just under $320,000 from January 1 to June 30, according to an exclusive National Post analysis of the expense reports of all 338 MPs.

We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

tap here to see other videos from our team. Try refreshing your browser, or Rona Ambrose's nearly $320,000 in expenses leads MPs for first half of 2016: analysis Back to video

The analysis also found:

• A pair of Liberal MPs spent $40,000 between them on smartphones, laptops and other information technology gear.

• An Alberta Conservative MP spent $65,000 s far this year for “repairs and maintenance” on a riding office.

• A St. John’s Liberal MP spent $50,000 in just six months on the lease for his constituency office while, at the other end of the country, in Prince George, B.C. a Conservative MP spent all of eight dollars in six months for “constituency lease, insurance and utilities.”