There's no place like home..And Governor General Mary Simon went home in style, billing more than $90,000 to visit her home town, newly-released records show..“It’s good to be home,” said Simon on her brief tour of Kangiqsualujjuaq, Que. last May..“Travel within the Nunavik region is challenging due to remote locations, technical capacities (i.e. runway length) and the capacity challenges of commercial transportation services,” cabinet wrote in an Inquiry Of Ministry tabled in the Commons and obtained by Blacklock's Reporter..“The Office of the Secretary to the Governor General retained charter services.”.The junket to Kangiqsualujjuaq last May 10 cost a total $90,615. More than half the budget, a total $65,896, was for charter aircraft. The Governor General spent a day in the hamlet visiting the mayor, speaking to local schoolchildren and touring the Kuururjuaq National Park Centre “which includes a section about the Governor General’s father,” a local Hudson’s Bay agent..“There were no official meals or receptions hosted by the Office of the Secretary to the Governor General during this visit,” said the Inquiry. Accommodation expenses totaled $11,029 to tour the region though the Inquiry cited “a lack of available hotels in these small and remote communities.”.Simon on her appointment in 2021 spoke of her Nunavik childhood. “My mom Nancy was Inuk; my father Bob, who was from the south, managed our local Hudson’s Bay Company post,” said Simon..“Many months out of the year we lived on the land, travelling by dog team or boat, hunting, fishing and gathering food.”.“Over the years I have exchanged stories with Canadians about favourite childhood memories. This is mine: lying in our family’s tent along the George River, on a bed of spruce boughs and caribou skins, listening to the early morning sound of birds and the crunch of snow under the feet of our dog team.”.Simon’s expenses were disclosed at the request of Bloc Québécois MP Julie Vignola (Beauport-Limoilou, Que.) MPs sought details of Rideau Hall spending after learning the governor general’s staff misled the Commons government operations committee on the $1.15 million cost of a March 17, 2022 junket to Dubai..Christine MacIntyre, deputy secretary to the governor general, testified last November 2 Simon, her husband and aides ate ordinary airplane food on the trip..“I was one of the passengers on those flights,” said MacIntyre. “The meals we were given are the types of meals you would get on a commercial flight.”.Meals in fact included Beef Wellington, French crepes, fresh and smoked salmon, gourmet cakes and fine wines.
There's no place like home..And Governor General Mary Simon went home in style, billing more than $90,000 to visit her home town, newly-released records show..“It’s good to be home,” said Simon on her brief tour of Kangiqsualujjuaq, Que. last May..“Travel within the Nunavik region is challenging due to remote locations, technical capacities (i.e. runway length) and the capacity challenges of commercial transportation services,” cabinet wrote in an Inquiry Of Ministry tabled in the Commons and obtained by Blacklock's Reporter..“The Office of the Secretary to the Governor General retained charter services.”.The junket to Kangiqsualujjuaq last May 10 cost a total $90,615. More than half the budget, a total $65,896, was for charter aircraft. The Governor General spent a day in the hamlet visiting the mayor, speaking to local schoolchildren and touring the Kuururjuaq National Park Centre “which includes a section about the Governor General’s father,” a local Hudson’s Bay agent..“There were no official meals or receptions hosted by the Office of the Secretary to the Governor General during this visit,” said the Inquiry. Accommodation expenses totaled $11,029 to tour the region though the Inquiry cited “a lack of available hotels in these small and remote communities.”.Simon on her appointment in 2021 spoke of her Nunavik childhood. “My mom Nancy was Inuk; my father Bob, who was from the south, managed our local Hudson’s Bay Company post,” said Simon..“Many months out of the year we lived on the land, travelling by dog team or boat, hunting, fishing and gathering food.”.“Over the years I have exchanged stories with Canadians about favourite childhood memories. This is mine: lying in our family’s tent along the George River, on a bed of spruce boughs and caribou skins, listening to the early morning sound of birds and the crunch of snow under the feet of our dog team.”.Simon’s expenses were disclosed at the request of Bloc Québécois MP Julie Vignola (Beauport-Limoilou, Que.) MPs sought details of Rideau Hall spending after learning the governor general’s staff misled the Commons government operations committee on the $1.15 million cost of a March 17, 2022 junket to Dubai..Christine MacIntyre, deputy secretary to the governor general, testified last November 2 Simon, her husband and aides ate ordinary airplane food on the trip..“I was one of the passengers on those flights,” said MacIntyre. “The meals we were given are the types of meals you would get on a commercial flight.”.Meals in fact included Beef Wellington, French crepes, fresh and smoked salmon, gourmet cakes and fine wines.
