The Opposition Liberals have stepped up their offensive on the federal government over newly released expenditure reports for this summer's G8 and G20 summits, labelling its spending on the events an "orgy of excess."

A police officer stands near the security fence ahead of the G20 meeting in Toronto. Opposition MPs say documents show the squandered hundreds of millions of dollars the back-to-back summits in late June. ((Mike Cassese/Reuters)) Expenditure reports released this week shed light on how some of the estimated $1.2 billion was spent on Canada's hosting the dual summits over three days in late June.

The reports include details of $80 million spent on food and accommodation, more than $34 million on telecommunications and electronics and almost $17 million for vehicle rentals and transportation.

During Friday's question period in the House of Commons, Liberal Deputy Leader Ralph Goodale said Canadians are appalled that the government "squandered" their tax dollars on dozens of summit contracts, including $85,000 for snacks and $14,000 for glow sticks.

"What's the justification for this orgy of excess?" Goodale asked.

Government House leader John Baird replied that the Conservative government was proud of its achievements at the summits and that most of the expenditures were for providing security at the "unprecedented" back-to-back events.

DATABASE: View the G8/G20 spending numbers

"We had some 20,000 security personnel there to keep all those attending the summit safe," Baird told MPs. "We think they did an outstanding job. The violence and destruction that we saw there was an example of why we needed such security."

The New Democrats, meanwhile, said RCMP sources have told them that the Mounties have been ordered to absorb about $100 million in summit costs. As a result, the force has had to cut the number of recruits being trained, NDP MP Jean Crowder told the House.

"The government should ask Canadians what they want their hard-earned money spent on — glow sticks and sunscreen or more cops on our streets," Crowder said.

In an email to CBC News, the RCMP insisted its training academy, also known as Depot Division, is not absorbing costs for the summits.

RCMP spokeswoman Sgt. Julie Gagnon said the Mounties received funding directly from the government's $930-million security budget, which included a contingency reserve of up to $55 million for unforeseen costs.

Equipment to be used for future events: RCMP

The expenditures reports only include about $200 million worth of contracts, many of them sole-sourced.

They also show the government shelled out $4.5 million for the security fence around the G8 summit host site at the exclusive Deerhurst Resort in Ontario's Muskoka region, along with more than $300,000 for sunscreen and insect repellent for the security personnel guarding the fence.

In an interview from Winnipeg on CBC's Power & Politics with Evan Solomon on Friday, Public Safety Minister Vic Toews insisted the costs incurred were comparable to those of previous international summits in other countries.

"I consider every penny spent to be an important expenditure," he said. "If we compare apples to apples with any other G8 or G20, our events come off very favourably."

In response to several questions posed by CBC News, the RCMP's Gagnon also gave more details on certain items listed in the contracts, including the mysterious "fireballs" that the documents showed cost more than $59,000.

She explained the fireballs are portable emergency warning lights used for motorcade and emergency vehicles. She added the $14,000 worth of glow sticks were used for "officer safety" but gave no more details.

Gagnon also disclosed the Integrated Security Unit rented a 5,100-square-metre office building in Barrie "that met our size and suitability requirements" for a two-year period at a total cost of $2.2 million.

As for the leftover and unused items, Gagnon said equipment with a shorter shelf life is being distributed to areas where it can be used. Assets that were purchased are being put into inventory and "will be used for future major events," she added.

Additional expenses include $1.2 million for condominium rentals and more than $13,000 for "miscellaneous textiles, headgear and umbrellas," the documents show.

No final price tag has been given yet for the dual summits in Muskoka and downtown Toronto, but the overall cost has been estimated to be about $1.24 billion, including at least $930 million for security.

The auditor general's office says a report on the security costs of the G8/G20 summits is scheduled for spring 2011.