Rideau Hall is responsible for costly air catering charges run up by Governor General Mary Simon, says the air force. Simon’s staff attempted to blame the military for meal expenses that were the equivalent of $218 per plate..“Final costs are determined by the selection of the flight menu which is approved by the Department of Foreign Affairs in concert with the trip requestor as required,” said a Department of National Defence briefing note. “We continue to ensure flight costs are minimized.”.According to Blacklock's Reporter, the governor general and 45 passengers and crew charged $80,367 for meals on a junket to Dubai last March 16. Costs did not include alcohol. The Royal Canadian Air Force crewed the flight but did not pick the menu, said the briefing note..“The Department of National Defence provides secure VIP transport at the request of the government,” said the note. “The RCAF flight steward will coordinate with the Department of Foreign Affairs’ protocol office which then coordinates with the respective VIP officer.”.“Once the final menu has been approved by the protocol officer the squadron then places the order with the appropriate caterers,” said the briefing note National Defence VIP Flights. Neither Rideau Hall nor the air force have disclosed why the in-flight meals were so costly..Rideau Hall in a statement last June 15 said the military was “responsible for all decisions relating to catering” and claimed to be surprised by the cost of the Dubai meals. “The Governor General shares the public’s concerns in regards to expenses,” staff said in a statement..MPs on the House of Commons government operations committee last June 21 passed a Bloc Québécois motion compelling the air force and witnesses from Rideau Hall to appear for questioning at September hearings. It is the first parliamentary scrutiny of the Governor General’s expenses since 2003..“This isn’t the Governor General office’s first rodeo,” Conservative MP Ben Lobb (Huron-Bruce, Ont.) told the committee. “They certainly have many years of experience with these things.”.“To just say, ‘Let’s go ahead and whatever it is you’ll just surprise us, we didn’t have any idea,’ I think that’s a bad defence,” said Lobb..Liberal MP Anthony Housefather (Mount Royal, Que.) repeated the governor general’s claim the military was to blame for catering costs. “The Department of National Defence was the one responsible for the catering on the Governor General’s plane,” said Housefather. “Her office had nothing whatsoever to do with it.”.Bloc MP Julie Vignola (Beauport-Limoilou, Que.), the sponsor of the motion to have committee hearings on the expenses, called the cost indefensible no matter who was to blame. “People all across Québec and Canada have to tighten their belts and spend $150 or $200 for two small bags of groceries that are barely enough to feed a family,” said Vignola. “I find this excessive.”.“I cannot believe the Department of National Defence decides what the Governor General will eat and that she has no say about her own menu,” said Vignola. “She is the Queen’s representative.”
