When Mary Simon was sworn in as governor general 18 months ago, there were hopes she would show respect to struggling Canadians and exercise more fiscal responsibility than some of her predecessors..For, Simon replaced another Trudeau-appointed train wreck. Former governor-general Julie Payette resigned in disgrace, leaving a tarnished legacy. Abuse to staff. Entitlement. Snobbery. Horrific wasteful spending..For Canadians, the door at Rideau Gate didn’t slam behind Payette fast enough when she scurried out. But like Payette, Simon seems confused about her role..It’s not complicated. As governor general, Simon’s role is to serve as a representative of King Charles III in Canada..She isn’t royalty..But her lavish spending on junkets — fancy meals, fine wines, five-star hotels, and hundreds of thousands of dollars squandered on military flights that could be better used by the cash-strapped Canadian Armed Forces — drip with self-indulgence. And hard-working Canadians taxpayers saddled with paying the obscene bills she racked up travelling hither and yon, leaving a massive carbon trail in her wake, aren’t her subjects..They are her employers..Simon had to know Canadians were disgusted with Payette for wantonly blowing their money while accomplishing little more than billing $139,000 for the design of a never-built private staircase so she could avoid people. And driving staff to tears..Yet, Simon went on spending sprees gobbling up great chunks of the $35 million budgeted for her office. Are decadent pyjama parties abroad with dubious benefits to Canadians necessary?.Simon’s spending habits have disappointed. No, they’ve enraged..Payette wanted to hide from people..Simon did. That was after details of her whooping it up — chewing on gourmet cakes and beef Wellington while sipping Chardonnay and hosting large entourages on pointless junkets — were exposed..In February, Simon’s office turned off social media accounts claiming there was a rise of “violent threats.” If so, that’s unacceptable. So, deal with the alleged threats..But you don’t get to shut out Canadians — your employers — who want to know why you spent $600 on lemon and lime garnishes for in-flight meals on one junket..One unidentified person who tagged along ordered a $271 salad. When do we get to find out how this person contributed to the betterment of me and thee on that trip? (And how do you squeeze $271 of cost onto one plate of what people who keep rabbits use to save money on petfood, anyway?). Mary SimonMary Simon, Governor General of Canada .Details of one costly trip after another, forcing Canadian taxpayers to dig deeper into their pockets, keep dribbling out..The latest revelation is that taxpayers footed $90,615 for Simon to visit her home in Kangiqsualujjuaq, Que for one day last May. Infuriating, but peanuts compared to the $1.15 million spent on a 2021 Dubai military junket with an entourage of about 45 (reported numbers differ.) Or the $800,000 spent to attend the Frankfurt Book Fair in Germany earlier that year. Of course, nothing less than five-star hotels with feather quilts and pillows would do for the 32 guests on that four-day trip..Simon has blown an opportunity to show some class and respect for Canadians economically beaten down by COVID’s ravages and inflation and struggling to put food on the table. Did she really earn that $40,000 pay raise she got during the pandemic that hiked her salary to $324,100?.Simon could have brought integrity back to her important role that Canadians increasingly resent supporting because of wasteful spending that dogs it..Payette spent $3 million on travel. The tab would have been higher had COVID-19 not, mercifully, shut her in lockdown. Former governor-general Adrienne Clarkson blew $5 million on one Arctic nations tour..Unfortunately, like them, Simon embraced the same misguided notion of entitlement. It was her turn to sidle up to the public trough, and time and again her office has gone on a feeding frenzy. Literally..Simon spent $93,118 on in-flight airline food on a junket to Expo 2020 in Dubai last March. Each meal — breakfast, lunch, and dinner — for the gang cost taxpayers $218 apiece..No one would expect Simon to fly economy while munching on a wee bag of pretzels. (Least of all her, apparently.) Only beef Wellington, French crepes, caramelized peaches, and long list of other scrumptious goodies would suffice. Wash it down with an ample supply of fine Chardonnay, Merlot and Pinot Noir wines and a good time was had by all — while you shopped for canned soup on sale..The entourage tagging along was royally coddled — while many Canadians wondered if the food in the fridge would last until pay day..Simon’s staff also got caught misleading the Commons government operations committee about the $1.15 million cost of the Dubai junket..To add insult to financial injury, Christine MacIntyre, deputy secretary to Simon, said the food was typical of what’s served on commercial flights. Like we’re stupid..Simon squandered in other ways..Was it necessary for Simon to be ferried in a military aircraft 3,000 kilometres back and forth between Ottawa and Halifax to put in six minutes of work at the Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference in 2022?.Why did she pass on a three-hour car ride from Ottawa to Peterborough in favour of blowing $8,300 to fly to a Royal Canadian Air Force event to make a speech? As one who has been to countless military events, when dignitaries show up to make speeches nobody cares. Like Simon’s entourage they’re just there for the meals. But they get rubber chicken dinners if they’re lucky..As Commander-in-Chief one of the governor general’s responsibilities is to represent the military in Canada and abroad. Simon squeezed $349.69 out of the Germany junket’s $800,000 budget to lay to lay a wreath at the Neue Wache in Berlin to commemorate “victims of war and tyranny.”.That was a tad more than the $230 spent on flower arrangements to make their $103,000 in-flight catering meals prettier..The Department of National Defence spent $272,277.53 just on the trip. But there isn’t enough money for training exercises..As Commander-in-Chief, does Simon ever pause to think about the thousands of mentally and physically injured Canadian veterans waiting sometimes years for disability benefits to be approved?.Of course, it isn’t her mandate to fix that. She’s just a figurehead. But her expensive tastes show a remarkable absence of humility and compassion..When Payette’s wasteful spending was outed, opposition MPs were outraged..When Simon’s wasteful spending was outed, opposition MPs were outraged..They bang their pots and pans in the House and yelp about how regular Canadians don’t have $218 a month for groceries..Nothing changes..Governors general who squander taxpayer money enjoy an annual $150,000 pension plus another $200,000 or so every year for expenses. But while in office, these entitled dames carry on spending lavishly, foolishly — because they can..The damage runs deep. In these ominous times as China, Russia, Saudi Arabia, and Iran strengthen ties, Canada and her allies must unite more than ever..Expect more examples of wasteful spending by the governor general’s office to be exposed. Sadly, that will breed more resentment towards the Monarchy, and create more division..But do remember... it wasn’t King Charles III gnawing on gouda cheese and cranberry stuffed pork tenderloin on those junkets.
