VICTORIA — Premier Christy Clark and her cabinet ministers spent almost three-quarters of a million dollars on international trade missions last year, according to figures quietly released by the government on Friday.

The trips to Malaysia, India, the United States, Europe and other locations totalled $767,053 in 2014.

The most expensive was the premier’s eight-day trip to Malaysia and Hong Kong last May, which cost $194,407 — $78,893 in travel and hotels for her delegation and support staff, as well as $114,162 in “meetings and hosted functions” and $1,352 for gifts.

The meeting expenses included luncheons, receptions and the cost of hiring an “event management company” because B.C. does not have a trade and investment office in Malaysia or Singapore, according to a statement from the Ministry of International Trade.

Clark opened the Hong Kong Stock Exchange during the trip, as well as promoted the liquefied natural gas industry, met Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak and signed a letter of intent with LNG proponent Petronas on its proposed facility in B.C., according to a government media release.

Petronas put off its final investment decision in December.

Other trips included a 12-day mission to China, Korea and Japan last November by International Trade Minister Teresa Watt, which cost $140,210, including $7,000 for an interpreter. The government said that trip resulted in 23 “potential deals” with 18 B.C. seafood companies worth $15 million.

A forestry trade mission to China cost $102,256, a finance trade mission to Europe cost $36,611, and a natural gas trade mission to Malaysia cost $22,159.

Clark also led a group of businesspeople on a 10-day trip to India in October, which cost $143,094 and focused on advanced education, film, technology and research.

The costs of the flights for the government delegation were originally redacted from receipts obtained by the NDP under the Freedom of Information Act, but later released.

Officials in the premier’s office said that was because the province negotiated a special rate for the government officials of $3,500, round-trip, on Air Canada between Vancouver and India. Some of the flights were business class.

The trade mission expenses were posted on a government website as an “Information Bulletin” on Friday afternoon without the regular email alert to media.

rshaw@vancouversun.com

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