Ottawa must stop paying expenses for former governors general

By Canadian Taxpayers Federation -- Aaron Wudrick, Federal Director —— Bio and Archives January 22, 2021

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OTTAWA, ON: The Canadian Taxpayers Federation today called on the Trudeau government to immediately stop former governors general from billing taxpayers for expenses indefinitely after they have left office. “With the resignation of Julie Payette, now is the time for this government to ensure that taxpayers are not on the hook for the expense accounts of former governors general,” said CTF Federal Director Aaron Wudrick. The existing expense program has been in place since 1979. It allows former governors general to bill taxpayers for everything from staff salaries to travel costs even after leaving office. Former governor general Adrienne Clarkson has billed taxpayers for more than $1.1 million since leaving office in 2005. Former governors general also qualify for inflation-adjusted pensions of $143,000 per year and multi-million-dollar “start-up grants” to establish a charity. “Two years ago, the prime minister said he would ‘review’ this program,” said Wudrick. “Nothing has happened since. It’s time to save taxpayers money by scrapping this outrageously wasteful program.”