Perhaps one of the toppings was caviar. Opposition legislators grilled Canadian Immigration Minister Joe Volpe in Parliament on Tuesday after learning that he had spent C$138 (66.9 pounds) on a pizza dinner for two and charged it to his expense account. The ruling Liberals are struggling to overcome the damage done by a government patronage scandal and are regularly accused of presiding over rampant corruption. ?I have heard of extra toppings, but this is ridiculous. When the most expensive item on the menu is C$34, how did he manage to spend C$138 for two people at a pizzeria?? asked Conservative Member of Parliament Rahim Jaffer.

Volpe replied that he had been carrying out consultations on how to improve the immigration system ? an answer which Jaffer found unpalatable. ?Either he ordered some very expensive wine or maybe he ordered a lot of take-out or maybe he is a very generous tipper,? Jaffer fumed. The head of the Royal Canadian Mint ? who earned C$277,000 a year in salary and allowances ? quit last week after it was revealed that he and his aides had racked up a vast amount in expenses and that he had put the cost of a C$1.29 pack of chewing gum to his official expense account.