Julie Payette cost taxpayers nearly $3 million in VIP travel expenses as governor general before pandemic lockdowns put a halt to her travels, new records show. Payette had publicly appealed to Canadians for self-sacrifice to reduce poverty and “help improve the lives of people.”.“It’s our duty to some extent to help improve the lives of people in our community, to diminish the gap in the inequities here and elsewhere,” Payette said on taking office in 2017. “Then maybe, if we try hard to work together, we may have a chance to find the answers.”.“We may be able to tackle global issues, serious and pressing global issues like climate change and migration, nuclear proliferation, poverty, population growth and so on,” said Payette. “Global issues know no borders, no timeline, and they truly do need our attention.”.According to Blacklock's Reporter, newly-disclosed records compiled by the Commons government operations committee show Payette in the 29 months she spent at Rideau Hall prior to the pandemic’s outbreak ran up $2,992,297 in travel expenses, the equivalent of $103,183 per month. Costs were divided between the RCMP, the Department of National Defence, Department of Foreign Affairs and secretary to the governor general..Payette in her last address to the nation by YouTube on Jan. 7, 2021 appealed for self-sacrifice. “I appeal to your sense of duty,” she said..“Like you, I have had to adapt to these unprecedented circumstances,” said Payette. “As a scientist, I take epidemic outbreaks very seriously.”.“The past months have been dark and difficult and we all know that it is not over yet,” said Payette. “It is of the utmost importance that we all stay vigilant.” Payette abruptly resigned two weeks later over complaints of employee harassment at Rideau Hall..Payette billed for 16 trips. Her travels included three junkets to France over a nine-month period from April 1, 2019 to Jan. 31, 2020..Payette was paid $289,000 a year with a $34.9 million office budget, free use of two manor homes in Ottawa and Québec City, a chauffeured car and Challenger jet. She remains entitled to lifetime pension benefits of $143,000 a year and an annual expense budget of $206,040..The former governor general on taking office in 2017 also tripled the budget of her predecessor for her swearing-in ceremony. The event cost $649,008 according to Access To Information records, compared to $210,703 for the 2010 investiture of the previous governor general David Johnston..Payette’s expenses included $3,000 for flowers and a $167,900 banquet. Expenses and talent fees for musicians and performers at the ceremony totaled $112,350.
Julie Payette cost taxpayers nearly $3 million in VIP travel expenses as governor general before pandemic lockdowns put a halt to her travels, new records show. Payette had publicly appealed to Canadians for self-sacrifice to reduce poverty and “help improve the lives of people.”.“It’s our duty to some extent to help improve the lives of people in our community, to diminish the gap in the inequities here and elsewhere,” Payette said on taking office in 2017. “Then maybe, if we try hard to work together, we may have a chance to find the answers.”.“We may be able to tackle global issues, serious and pressing global issues like climate change and migration, nuclear proliferation, poverty, population growth and so on,” said Payette. “Global issues know no borders, no timeline, and they truly do need our attention.”.According to Blacklock's Reporter, newly-disclosed records compiled by the Commons government operations committee show Payette in the 29 months she spent at Rideau Hall prior to the pandemic’s outbreak ran up $2,992,297 in travel expenses, the equivalent of $103,183 per month. Costs were divided between the RCMP, the Department of National Defence, Department of Foreign Affairs and secretary to the governor general..Payette in her last address to the nation by YouTube on Jan. 7, 2021 appealed for self-sacrifice. “I appeal to your sense of duty,” she said..“Like you, I have had to adapt to these unprecedented circumstances,” said Payette. “As a scientist, I take epidemic outbreaks very seriously.”.“The past months have been dark and difficult and we all know that it is not over yet,” said Payette. “It is of the utmost importance that we all stay vigilant.” Payette abruptly resigned two weeks later over complaints of employee harassment at Rideau Hall..Payette billed for 16 trips. Her travels included three junkets to France over a nine-month period from April 1, 2019 to Jan. 31, 2020..Payette was paid $289,000 a year with a $34.9 million office budget, free use of two manor homes in Ottawa and Québec City, a chauffeured car and Challenger jet. She remains entitled to lifetime pension benefits of $143,000 a year and an annual expense budget of $206,040..The former governor general on taking office in 2017 also tripled the budget of her predecessor for her swearing-in ceremony. The event cost $649,008 according to Access To Information records, compared to $210,703 for the 2010 investiture of the previous governor general David Johnston..Payette’s expenses included $3,000 for flowers and a $167,900 banquet. Expenses and talent fees for musicians and performers at the ceremony totaled $112,350.
