Newly released expense records show Global Affairs Canada spent at least $170,000 to bring eight Canadian women who had joined Islamic State and their children back from Syria between late-2022 and 2023. The Access-to-Information documents, disclosed on 7 August, detail business-class flights, Montreal Airport Marriott stays and room-service charges for wine, candy and snack food. The largest operation, dubbed CONOP2 in April 2023, cost $132,445—about $25,000 over budget—while an earlier October 2022 mission totalled $10,863. A third mission was required after some returnees missed their flights, adding a further $27,800. Individual expenses included a two-night hotel bill exceeding $1,000 because of a $95 wine tab, $24 sandwiches at the hotel bar and $2,800 in catering. The department said it assumed “certain immediate costs to support the safe return and well-being” of the women and children but declined to disclose the full price tag of extracting them from Syria or release 50 pages still under consultation with a foreign government. Critics, including Secure Canada, a group representing families of 9/11 victims, called the spending an unnecessary burden on taxpayers and urged greater transparency and oversight.