Records obtained by the Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) revealed that Canada's governor general and Rideau Hall have incurred a significant dry cleaning bill in the six-figure range over recent years..Since 2018, the Office of the Secretary to the Governor General (OSGG) spent $117,566 on professional dry-cleaning services despite having in-house staff on the payroll responsible for handling laundry duties. .“When I spill half the Pizza Hut lunch buffet on my white work shirt, I don’t stick the company I work for with the dry-cleaning bill and neither should the governor general,” said Franco Terrazzano, federal director of CTF. .“This is another perk the governor general enjoys that struggling Canadians can’t afford.”.The cost of dry cleaning at Rideau Hall amounts to over $1,800 per month, which taxpayers pay. .This money could cover the dry cleaning of 13,831 blouses, 6,204 dresses, or 3,918 duvets, based on the prices at Majestic Cleaners in Ottawa..Information about how much was spent on dry-cleaning at Rideau Hall was shared because Conservative MP Kelly McCauley (Edmonton West, AB) requested it..The records say that “traditional laundering is done in-house at the OSGG.” .However, other items like personal clothes, tablecloths, napkins, and linens were sent to a professional dry cleaner..In May, the National Post reported that the current Governor General Mary Simon and her predecessor Julie Payette together spent over $88,000 of public money on clothes since 2017..The governor general can spend up to $130,000 for clothing expenses throughout their five-year term..The clothing spending covered a range of items, including a $3,000 "black velvet dress with silk lining," $1,064 for boots, and a $450 "ecru hat.".“Why does the governor general’s office need to spend so much on dry cleaning when it already has staff doing laundry and there’s a six-figure expense account for new clothes?” said Terrazzano. .“Whether it’s feasting on fancy airplane food, spending a fortune on a limo service in Iceland, or staying in the finest of hotels, Rideau Hall spares no expense when it's taxpayers picking up the tab.”.During the 2021-22 fiscal year, the OSGG received approximately $33 million in federal funds. .The governor general's annual salary has increased to $351,600, marking a $48,800 pay raise since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.
