MPs yesterday demanded to see actual menus for costly in-flight meals for Governor General Mary Simon. Food expenses on a junket to Dubai were the equivalent of $218 per plate for breakfast, lunch and supper servings for Simon and 45 others..“We’d like to know whether we are dealing with caviar and champagne,” said Conservative MP Pierre Paul-Hus (Charlesbourg-Haute St. Charles, Que.). “What kind of meals are we talking about here?”.According to Blacklock's Reporter, the House of Commons government operations committee ordered release of documents including menus covering $80,367 in food costs on the Dubai flights last March 16. “If you divide that by 46 people you get $1,744 per person or $218 per meal which includes breakfast,” said Liberal MP Anthony Housefather (Mount Royal, Que.)..“Did anybody look at the price and say, ‘Oh my God, this is an astronomically high price for this small number of meals’?” asked Housefather. The MP noted the liquor bill for 19 bottles of wine and 15 cans of beer was only $113..Witnesses including a participant on the Dubai junket would not detail the menu. “I was one of the passengers on those flights,” said Christine MacIntyre, deputy secretary to the Governor General. “The meals we were given are the types of meals you would get on a commercial flight.”.“An average of $218 per meal would represent groceries for a whole family,” said Bloc Québécois MP Julie Vignola (Beauport-Limoilou, Que.), adding: “There were snacks. What kind of snacks? How many snacks were there? What were the costs of those?”.Conservative MP Kelly McCauley (Edmonton West), a former hotelier, questioned why costs were approved. The Department of Foreign Affairs said it was responsible for authorizing the expense..“I’m trying to be polite here,” said MP McCauley. “I’m gobsmacked that it’s 2022, there are dozens of people I’m sure working on this and $218 just seems to be, ‘Meh, that’s okay.’ How did this happen?”.New Democrat MP Gord Johns (Courtenay-Alberni, B.C.) noted food inflation is currently at the highest rate since 1981. “Against this backdrop it’s understandable why many Canadians are concerned,” said Johns..“$218 average for a meal,” said MP Johns. “Is there any meal that stood out?” The Governor General’s staff did not reply..“$218 is about the average cost of the Port Alberni food truck that goes out and feeds over a hundred homeless people a night where I live,” said Johns. “I want to make sure that’s on the record.”
