In another example of responsibly managing taxpayer dollars, Gov. Gen. Mary Simon and her delegation to the Middle East spent $1.3 million on hotels, flights, catering, and other travel expenses during the week-long trip in March, according to documents tabled with a House of Commons committee.

Those partaking at the trough were, folks from Global Affairs Canada (GAC), National Defence Department (DND) and the RCMP.

Invoices tabled with the House government operations and estimates committee showed that Simon’s office spent around $160,000 on the trip and the RCMP spent around $155,000, while National Defence spent over $470,000 and GAC spent close to $520,000.

Given that we shelled out $1.3 million for this jot over to the Middle East, I for one would love to know what exactly, Canadian taxpayers got for it? What amazing geo-political achievement was accomplished bureaucrats?

In case you didn’t know it, one of these very important the governor general did was attend Expo 2020 Dubai, there she delivered remarks as she was the guest of honour at the Canada National Day Ceremony. Now in fairness to the governor general that’s not all she apparently did, but really $1.3 million. Didn’t she ever hear of Tavelocity?

Also, not sure which airline out beloved governor general was flying, but seems like someone may want to look into the in-flight catering fees, given that during the trip they amounted to about $218 per meal for each person present. Enough to choke a “Camel!”, we’re well past a horse ladies and gentlemen!

“We’d like to know whether we were dealing with caviar and expensive champagne, or what kind of meals are we talking about here,” said Conservative MP Pierre Paul-Hus, who demanded the committee be provided with detailed receipts describing the catering costs. Amen brother Pierre!

The committee is yet to post the in-flight catering receipts, but the Canadian Taxpayers Federation posted copies it received from National Defence showing that one of the flight’s catering services on March 22 cost over £3,800, which amounts to over $5,800 Canadian dollars.

In addition, the CTF said other in-flight expenses included $230 for “flower arrangements” and $984 for “individual Flow water boxes.” Knows to the rest of us as “vases!”

Invoices of the oinkers from the government operations committee, showed that hotel fees in Dubai alone amounted to well over $90,000, pity only 10K more and they would have hit an even 100K!

Room service charges totaled over $7,500.

In case you were worried there wasn’t a reasonable explanation, not so, RCAF Commander, Lieutenant-General Eric Kenny, told the government operations committee on Sept. 22 in explaining the trip expenses, “We go to areas where the cost of living is quite high in comparison to Canada and therefore the prices are much higher than we would see potentially here in Canada.”
My question would be why did we need to go in the first place?

Other GAC expenses during the Middle East trip included several car rental fees in Kuwait, Qatar, and the Gulf States. One vehicle rental charge expense in Kuwait totaled over $17,000 and another in Doha, Qatar, cost over $24,000. Wow, Chevy Sparks cost that much to rent?

According to invoices, the Governor General’s office also had to pay for two employees to fly back to Ottawa from Doha during the trip because of “Covid-19 Quarantine requirements.” No explanation as to what was meant my “Covid-19 Quarantine requirements” not to worry it only cost taxpayers over $17,500 combined.

“I just want to avoid this situation occurring again in the future, this is taxpayers’ money, and our taxpayers have trouble making ends meet.”
Bloc Québécois MP Julie Vignola said during an Oct. 6 government operations committee meeting

Hey Julie, when’s that ever stopped you folks?