OPINION: Governor General visits Saskatchewan – let’s see the bill

Forgive me if I’m not exactly giddy over Gov. Gen. Mary Simon’s official visit to Saskatchewan this week.

The Governor General is currently in the midst of her first official stop in the province, taking her to Saskatoon and Regina where she’ll gladhand with the usual array of dignitaries and participate in the usual smattering of tours and talks.

But before we line the streets to cheer and wave flags, I think it’s fair to ask how much this visit is costing taxpayers.

Simon took over the role in 2021 following the resignation of the scandal-plagued Julie Payette, who was reportedly apoplectic upon learning that staffers at Rideau Hall couldn’t tell her the distance between Saturn and the Sun. (It’s an average of 1.4 billion kilometres – worth knowing in case you ever meet the hot-tempered former astronaut.) Payette also tried to build a hidden staircase in her official residence so she wouldn’t accidentally bump into the unwashed public. The staircase was never constructed, but it still somehow cost us $140,000.

While Payette’s term was an unmitigated disaster for everyone involved, especially the taxpayer, Simon seemed determined to spend even more, racking up $2.7 million in travel expenses during her first year as Governor General.

According to the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, Simon likes to travel with an entourage of official photographers, videographers, “aides-de-camp” and a team of communications strategists. Simon and her cadre spent $93,117 on in-flight catering during an eight-day trip to the Middle East, where she rubbed shoulders with royalty at our expense.

The ridiculous expenses don’t end there, however. Simon later billed taxpayers $71,000 for “Icelimo Luxury Travel” during a trip to Reykjavík.

Because I’m a normal person who drives a normal Honda, I can’t imagine what an “icelimo” even looks like, but based on the tab I presume it’s fueled by burning cash. My 2014 Civic cost about a third of what Simon spent on her icelimo tours, which indicates that she could have saved us money by buying brand-new vehicles and abandoning them in Iceland after she was done with them.

This is only scratching the surface of the recent vice-regal expenses. I’ve said nothing of Simon’s other international jaunts, the security costs and other expenses that are necessarily associated with her travel as a government official, the ritzy hotels (literally the Ritz in one case) or her palatial official residences and extensive personal staff.

But despite being long on expenses, Simon’s tenure has been notably short on official visits to Saskatchewan. She’s been in the role since July of 2021, and is making her first official visit to the province 1,021 days later.

To Simon’s credit, she stopped in the province twice in September of 2022. The first was a visit at the James Smith Cree Nation following the mass stabbing which left 11 people dead. The second visit was to mark Miyo-wîcîwitowin Day in Regina. Neither stop was considered an official visit, and you can’t be blamed if you don’t remember them.

I’m not saying the Governor General needs to be productive and industrious – Simon’s role is a ceremonial one with a bit of rubber-stamping thrown in – but is it too much to ask that King Charles’ representative in Canada make official visits to Canada’s provinces and territories before she starts jet-setting around the world?

I think it’s fair to ask why it’s taken so long to officially visit our province. Why was Expo 2020 in Dubai a higher priority to Simon than Saskatchewan?

If I was paying someone $362,800 per year (and technically I am), I don’t think I can be blamed for asking what I’m getting in exchange for all that money. With Simon, the answer just seems to be more expenses for the taxpayer.

So when it comes to Simon’s official visit, I’m glad it’s finally happening, but I hope you’ll understand I don’t celebrate before I see the bill.

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