The Canadian government spent more than $2.7 million on high-profile film and music festivals around the world, which included holding lavish parties, according to documents obtained by the Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF). The CTF said this spending happened for events taking place during a 16-month period between January 2023 and May 2024. “Government bureaucrats spent $175,000 a month partying it up at international film and music festivals,” said CTF Federal Director Franco Terrazzano in a Thursday blog post.“In what world does it make sense for bureaucrats to blow millions of taxpayer dollars on festivals when the government is more than a trillion dollars in debt and record numbers of Canadians are lining up at food banks?”The CTF pointed out bureaucrats attended the Oscars, the Cannes Film Festival in France, Berlinale in Germany, and South by Southwest in Austin and Australia funded by taxpayer dollars. It said bureaucrats spent $35,000 on plant and furniture rentals for a Canada House event and $5,000 on DJ and animation services at the South by Southwest festivals. While those costs were excessive, they spent $15,000 on a social media champion for Canada House. Another $11,700 went towards food and drink catering costs for a reception and an opening party. It went on to say South by Southwest in Australia featured a Canada House, and its costs were at least $97,000. Additionally, it revealed they spent $17,000 on an events co-ordinator. When it came to the Cannes Film Festival, bureaucrats dedicated $9,930 to umbrella stand co-ordinator services. The rental fee for a Canada Pavilion at the Berlinale was $74,000. Other expenses for these festivals were for professional photographers and decoration services. Global Affairs Canada, Canadian Heritage, and the National Film Board spent the money for these festivals. The records indicated the total costs came in at $2,798,719. This means the average spending on the festivals was $174,919 per month. While the Canadian government spent a sizeable amount of money for these festivals, it has put aside some for future ones, with bureaucrats saying they intend to support Canadian artists at them. The details were released through an order paper question submitted by Conservative MP Michelle Rempel Garner (Calgary Nose Hill, AB). Terrazzano concluded by saying bureaucrats “should figure out how to do basic things, like answering taxpayers’ phone calls, before trying to DJ international parties.”“Taxpayers are giving this international film festival party junket two big thumbs down,” he said.This ordeal comes after Governor General Mary Simon said in 2023 she travelled thousands of kilometres using a government airplane to live in Nova Scotia.READ MORE: Simon's pandemic retreat, many ‘personal’ flights from Rideau Hall to Nova Scotia cottageDuring the COVID-19 pandemic, Simon revealed she chose to make Nova Scotia her home. “I know firsthand there is something special about Nova Scotia,” said Simon.
