WINNIPEG -- While Canadian Museum for Human Rights CEO Stuart Murray has been firing staff who are not "100%" on board with the program, he's also been sticking taxpayers with some pretty hefty travel bills.

We've been told it's of paramount importance that taxpayers pay for the extensive travel costs of the museum's CEO because he needs to connect with key groups and individuals around the world in order to make our museum a great success.

Murray racked up $9,180 in travel costs in the second quarter of this year -- July to September.

He spent a week in Berlin and Kyev, Ukraine, in July, charging taxpayers $5,688 for airfare, meals and accommodations.

And he made three trips to Toronto in August and September to meet with "consultants," "designers" and "stakeholders."