Governor General of Canada Mary Simon charged taxpayers a staggering $71,000 for her limousine bill from a four-day trip to Iceland in 2022, as reported by the National Post.
Expense reports obtained by the Canadian Taxpayers Federation revealed five separate line items for Icelimo Luxury Travel, a Reykjavík-based limousine and transportation firm.
“The Governor General could have bought a brand new BMW, drove it around the island and then left it outside the airport with the keys inside and still saved money,” commented Franco Terrazzano, federal director of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation.
Though the entirety of her trip took place within Reykjavík, a city about a quarter the size of Calgary, the Governor General opted for the most lavish transportation services even while in a walkable area. The Harpa Conference Centre, a main location for the trip’s meetings, was less than 500 metres away from Simon’s luxury hotel, Hotel Borg.
Limousine bill + other expenses
The entire trip cost amounted to nearly $299,000, with hotel costs alone reaching approximately $115,000.
Mary Simon has no qualms about billing the taxpayer for her luxurious lifestyle.
On a trip to the 2020 Expo in Dubai, the Governor General and 29 of her fellow passengers dropped a whopping $93,117.89 on food, drinks, and other luxuries while aboard government planes.
Simon has also been splurging on designer clothing such as $430 dress shoes and a $160 scarf. Per Canadian rules, the Governor General is allowed to expense up to $130,000 in clothing items over their entire five-year mandate.
Meanwhile, according to a June 2023 Ipsos poll, 43% of Canadians say they have cut back on buying new clothes due to inflation, and 56% have decreased how much they dine out.
Canada’s Governor General takes in a $342,100 salary.
“The feds need to rein in the cost of international trips and Simon’s budget,” Terrazzano stated.
