The governor-general’s controversial visit to the Middle East last March ended up costing the government $1.3 million, the Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) denounced on Wednesday.
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The organization arrived at this amount by combining the costs incurred by the Governor General’s Office, Global Affairs Canada, National Defense and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police on this trip.
“What is the taxpayer value of this $1.3 million trip to the Middle East?” protested FCC director general Franco Terrazano, demanding that the governor general’s office show that the trip was worthwhile.
It had already emerged in recent months that the Royal Canadian Air Force had to squander more than $80,000 to serve eight meals aboard the plane carrying the governor-general and her delegation, or more than $333 each Meal time.
Assistant Secretary to the Governor General Christine MacIntyre had tried in September to convince the Standing Committee on Government Operations and Appraisals that dignitaries on board were eating very simple meals like omelettes.
However, the governor-general’s office insists on not revealing the composition of the menus during the trip.
“The bureaucrats are once again demonstrating their lack of transparency to taxpayers. They have the receipts for the luxuries consumed on the plane, but they refuse to put the menus online,” said Quebec FCC Director Nicolas Gagnon.
“Politicians and bureaucrats need to show more respect for taxpayers’ hard-earned money, and that means they need to stop wasting so much and proactively post receipts online,” he said.