TORONTO - Opposition politicians accused International Trade Minister Sandra Pupatello on Thursday of living the high life on taxpayers' money, a practice they said she used to condemn before the Liberals became the Ontario government.
  
The Conservatives said Pupatello ran up a $128,000 travel bill in just one year, and complained that in the past she verbally attacked Tory cabinet minister Cam Jackson for his expenses.

"What goes around comes around," said Opposition Leader Bob Runciman.

"She was very critical of less expenditures in longer periods of time, and was 'embarrassed' by it she said publicly. Now, 20 feet across the floor and she has a different standard for what's appropriate use of taxpayers' dollars."

A visibly angry Pupatello told the legislature that Jackson, who represented Burlington, ran up his expenses at a hotel just blocks from the legislature, not while travelling the world on government business.

"I will not apologize for selling Ontario," said Pupatello.

"It is not a Bacardi rum tour with the chair of the LCBO, as that particular member might remember from his trips abroad. It is hard work and I will continue to do that for the people of Ontario."

Runciman wasn't impressed with Pupatello's responses.

"She's been careless and apparently doesn't give a damn if we can base that on her responses here in the house," he said.

"It's sort of like taxpayers be damned; Let them eat cake."

New Democrat Paul Miller questioned why Pupatello spent $50,000 on business-class airfares and stayed at posh hotels, some costing over $700 a night, when there are less expensive chain hotels in most of the cities she visited.

"I think it's a little extravagant considering the status of our economy and especially coming from a hard-hit area like Windsor, which she represents," said Miller.

"There's nothing wrong with a Holiday Inn or locations like that. I'm not sure you have to stay at the best known place."

Pupatello said her job was to travel the world trying to drum up business and investments for Ontario, and insisted places like Paris and cities in the Middle East are very expensive.

"We're very careful about where we go and we don't stay in the top-level hotels," she told reporters outside the legislature.

"It has to be well worth the money we spend, or we don't spend it."

Miller said he doubted the minister's sincerity.

"You have to show restraint and lead by example and I don't think this minister is doing that," he said.

Pupatello also said she has managed to land 25 investment deals that represent 3,000 jobs for Ontario, but the opposition parties said they have seen no evidence to support such a claim.

"Let's see proof of 3,000 jobs that was the result of her expenses and her world travels," said Runciman.

"I don't think she can do it. I think it's a crock."

Miller said he tried in the legislature to confirm Pupatello's claim.

"When I asked her about what contracts she brought back, I didn't get an answer," he complained.

Pupatello also said the information the opposition parties were using in the legislature was inaccurate, but both the Tories and NDP provided expenses receipts obtained under access-to-information legislation to support their accusations.