Ms Macpherson needs to separate the question of compensation for top administrators from administrative leave. Contrary to what she seems to think, administrative leaves are typically for research, which is one of the responsibilities of university professors, but one, that, along with teaching, full time service as an administrator leaves diminished time and responsibilities for, is often remunerated at a regular professor's salary, and typically requires submitting a proposal for research and academic activity the outcomes of which are assessed at the end of the leave.  Whether these protocols are followed in the case of university presidents and other top administrators is another question, the answer to which I don't know. Whether research conducted on leave is carried out at the University of Alberta or Namibia or wherever isn't really the point,  but depends on the nature of the research, required facilities, and the researchers collaboration with whom is valuable.