Taxpayers were billed nearly $3 million in travel expenses for Canada’s Governor General Mary Simon during her first year in office.
Data provided to Bloc Québécois MP Julie Vignola and released by the Canadian Taxpayers Federation showed that Simon’s four overseas trips and 17 domestic engagements cost Canadians $2.78 million in 2022.
Additional receipts have yet been released, which means that the actual cost could be much higher.
“Simon should have the courtesy and common sense to realize many Canadians are struggling and can’t afford to pay for her expensive trips,” CTF federal director Franco Terrazzano told the National Post.
Simon’s trip costs included the controversial $100,000 flight catering bill for her trip to the Middle East.
In total, Canadians spent $1.3 million so that Simon could visit the Dubai Expo 2022 and meet with Qatar and Kuwait leadership.
While attending the late Queen’s Platinum Jubilee in London, Simon billed taxpayers $28,438 on air and ground travel as well as $3,158 on food and $7,193 for lodging. Receipts also showed $13,296 in other expenses.
Simon’s posse, which included Canada’s high commissioner to the UK and her chief of staff among others, reported $21,512 in costs for a police motorcade and a $7,926 plane ticket for one Global Affairs Canada official.
The delegation also billed taxpayers $39,076 in hotel costs.
Another trip by Simon to Queen Elizabeth II’s memorial service cost $22,288 in air travel and $17,012 in other expenses.
A visit to the Arctic Circle Assembly in Iceland saw Simon spend $71,000 for luxury limousine service and $118,000 for accommodations at Hotel Borg.
Rideau Hall spokesperson Natalie Badin Dufresne defended Simon’s spending habits and claimed the media was falsely characterizing the Governor General.
“Media reports that insinuate that the Governor General is personally responsible for spending or making extravagant requests related to these visits are categorically false,” said Badin Dufresne.
“These reports are harmful to Canada’s diplomatic efforts, and they disregard the importance of connecting and celebrating Canadians in their home communities.”
