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A Newfoundland and Labrador politician who’s known for wearing bright yellow rubber boots handed out tiny replicas of her signature footwear during an educational pilgrimage for students to European battlefields this summer, and she used taxpayers’ money to foot the bill.
The sole-sourced contract for the unique keychains went to a company on the west coast of Newfoundland, linked to a woman who unsuccessfully ran for the Progressive Conservatives during last year’s provincial election.
The Trail of the Caribou pilgrimage to France and Belgium from June 28 to July 8 was led by Andrea Barbour, then-Minister of Tourism, Culture, Arts and Recreation, and included 100 students from across the province.
The students attended battlefield memorial sites such as Beaumont-Hamel, where the Royal Newfoundland Regiment was nearly wiped out on July 1, 1916.
Tokens of appreciation from the minister
Documents obtained through an access to information request reveals that Barbour, the PC MHA for St. Barbe-L’Anse aux Meadows, directed the department to purchase 150 custom-designed and 3D-printed rubber boot keychains from a company called Built by the Bay. The province’s official floral emblem, the pitcher plant, was also stenciled on the boot.
Minister Andrea Barbour speaks on behalf of the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador during one of several somber events she attended while recently in France. (CBC)
The gifts were described as a “token of appreciation from the office of the minister to external participants.”
The total cost for the keychains, including HST, was $1,035, with the money coming from the department’s arts and heritage division.
Before she was a politician, Barbour was a social media star known for her quirky dances and catchphrases, and wearing unmistakable yellow rubber boots.
It’s not uncommon for politicians to hand out gifts on such occasions, but it’s typically pins with symbols that represent the province.
In this case, the taxpayer-funded gift was directly related to Barbour’s personal brand, and they were handed out during a solemn pilgrimage to battlefields where hundreds of Newfoundland and Labrador soldiers were either killed or wounded during the First World War.
Some students attached the yellow boot keychain to their clothing and backpacks after receiving the gift from then-Tourism Minister Andrea Barbour. (Facebook/Historic Sites Association of Newfoundland and Labrador)
The invoice describes Built by the Bay as a “small family business started by three siblings” in York Harbour, but because of the age of the children, the money went into the account of their mother, Victoria Snow, who is also known as Victoria Young.
Victoria Young was the unsuccessful PC candidate in Burgeo-La Poile during last year’s provincial general election.
In a statement to CBC News, the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts and Recreation defended the use of public money, saying the expense “complied with all applicable government procurement policies.”
WATCH | Minister did not respond to calls and emails on the purchase:
Former N.L. culture minister gifts yellow rubber boot keychains on Trail of the Caribou trip
Former N.L. culture minister Andrea Barbour sought 150 gift keychains through a sole-source, government contract for the sombre ceremonies in northern France last summer. The keychains are made to look like yellow rubber boots — considered Barbour’s trademark footwear from when she was active on social media. The government says the spend complied with all applicable government policies. CBC’s Terry Roberts reports.
The statement said the gifts “were purchased from a small business operated by three youths, one of whom has a diagnosis of autism.”
“Our government will continue to support entrepreneurship, inclusion and opportunities for young people throughout Newfoundland and Labrador,” the statement reads.
But there was no explanation for Barbour’s decision to use taxpayers’ money for the purchase of the keychains that have a clear link to her public image.
Barbour did not respond to calls and emails to her constituency office, and the premier’s office directed CBC News to the statement from the culture department.
Barbour drew criticism during her visit to France after she stumbled through her speech, and struggled to pronounce words such as valour and Beaumont-Hamel.
A few weeks later, she was shuffled out of the portfolio and is now environment and conservation minister.
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