Majority of Canadians want to cut the GG budget—so why is Mary Simon still living like royalty?

The Governor General’s office blew through $36 million last year—for a role that’s completely ceremonial.

Nearly half of Canadians want to slash the Governor General’s budget, and in Quebec, that number climbs to a whopping 62%. That’s hard data from a national Leger poll released by the Canadian Taxpayers Federation.

Just 13% of Canadians think Mary Simon deserves more money. And those people probably have a government pension—or a gold-plated airline omelette in front of them.

Because this is what sparked the outrage: an $80,000 catering bill for an 8-day trip to the Middle East. That’s nearly $10,000 a day for in-flight meals.

Mary Simon, the Governor General, insists it was all blown out of proportion. She told CBC, “Our meals are not very extravagant… they’re pretty much like airline meals.”

Right. If your airline is Emirates First Class on steroids, and your bottled water is imported with an entourage.

Simon says the media were “unfair” in how they reported the costs. But you know what’s unfair? Burning through taxpayer dollars while the rest of us can’t afford groceries.

The Governor General’s office blew through $36 million last year—for a role that’s completely ceremonial. Simon’s job is to cut ribbons, sign whatever the prime minister puts in front of her, and occasionally deliver a speech written by someone else.

Yet she still makes $378,000 a year, gets a lifetime six-figure pension, and even after retirement, she’s entitled to a $200,000 annual expense account.

Her defence? She’s “discussing world peace.”

I’m sorry—was that on the $71,000 luxury limo ride in Iceland?

Simon says she doesn’t choose her trips; the PM sends her. So if Mark Carney wants to look serious about the deficit, start by grounding the Queen of Waste.

Canadians are done funding elites who tell us to tighten our belts while they’re loosening theirs around another catered filet mignon.

Cut the Governor General’s budget. Cancel the perks. And if Mary Simon won’t rein herself in, we need to demand what Canadians already want: Fire Simon.

Sheila Gunn Reid

Chief Reporter

Sheila Gunn Reid is the Alberta Bureau Chief for Rebel News and host of the weekly The Gunn Show with Sheila Gunn Reid. She's a mother of three, conservative activist, and the author of best-selling books including Stop Notley.

COMMENTS

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  • Bernhard Jatzeck
    commented 2025-08-09 00:24:38 -0400
    The last few GGs haven’t been worthy of the office. The sense of entitlement that seems typical likely started with Clarkson.
  • Bruce Atchison
    commented 2025-08-08 19:37:47 -0400
    This opposite to Simon Says. She lives like a queen and we barely eat.