Cutting Governor General clothing budget first step, taxpayers demand real cuts
"If Prime Minister Mark Carney is serious about saving money, he needs to do more than accept a smaller clothing budget...Carney needs to end the automatic pay raises, platinum pension and lifetime expense account.”
Canadian Taxpayers Federation -- Franco Terrazzano, CTF Federal Director, Bio and Archives--June 17, 2026
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OTTAWA, ON: Governor General Louise Arbour is right to acknowledge the previous clothing allowance was unacceptable and the Canadian Taxpayers Federation is calling for real cuts to Rideau Hall’s platinum pay and perks.
“Taxpayers are glad to see the new Governor General won’t be wasting as much money on clothes,” said Franco Terrazzano, CTF Federal Director. “But small tweaks to the governor general’s wardrobe budget barely scratches the surface and taxpayers need the government to drastically shrink the platinum pay and perks at Rideau Hall.”
Arbour notified members of Parliament that she is cutting her clothing allowance, according to Blacklock’s Reporter.
“The Office of the Secretary to the Governor General has recently revised its guidelines for clothing,” reads a letter to Parliament’s government operations committee. The letter didn’t specify the savings of the updated clothing allowance, according to Blacklock’s Reporter.
Government policy allows governors general to expense up to $130,000 in clothing purchases over their five-year mandate. Former governor general Mary Simon billed taxpayers thousands for clothing, including luxury wool suits, shoes and a “sealskin chest piece.”
The governor general also takes automatic pay raises every year. The governor general’s annual salary is now $393,800, according to the Privy Council Office.
A Leger poll shows 59 per cent of Canadians support reducing the governor general’s salary.
In addition to the pay raises and clothing allowance, a former governor general takes a pension of about $150,000 per year and gets a lifetime expense account of up to $200,000 annually after leaving office.
“If Prime Minister Mark Carney is serious about saving money, he needs to do more than accept a smaller clothing budget,” Terrazzano said. “Carney needs to end the automatic pay raises, platinum pension and lifetime expense account.”
For more information or to schedule interviews, please contact:
Franco Terrazzano
CTF Federal Director
Phone: 403.918.3532
Email: fterrazzano@taxpayer.com
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