Ottawa says work underway to shed light on secretive expense program for former governors general

The federal government says it’s looking for ways to make an expense program for former governors general more transparent after almost 50 years of secrecy.

The program allows the five active former governors general to each bill the government up to $206,040 per year, on top of their pensions.

The total bill in the fiscal year ending in 2025 was $554,000.

The Governor General’s office, Rideau Hall, won’t tell the public how the money was spent, nor is it required to, which has long been the subject of criticism.

In response to a question from CBC News, Prime Minister Mark Carney said he’d look into the program earlier this month to ensure there’s adequate transparency.

Now the government says it’s considering changes.

“Further to the prime minister’s commitment, work is underway to identify opportunities to strengthen transparency regarding the program,” Privy Council Office spokesperson Pierre-Alain Bujold said in a statement to CBC News. 

Rideau Hall told CBC News it’s now “firmly engaged to strengthen transparency regarding the program.”

Both Rideau Hall and the Privy Council Office would not share any further information with CBC News about what work is underway.

The expense program was first launched in 1979 and allows the former viceregals to be reimbursed for the rest of their lives for expenses directly related to having held the office.

Those expense claims can be for office space and furniture, supplies, salaries for staff and other professional services.

Travel expenses are also covered under this program for former governors general, their spouses and staff to attend events and ceremonies.

Trudeau didn’t act on recommendations

Carney noted that governors general “serve our country with distinction” and said they continue to serve Canadians through their charitable and other foundation activities when they leave office, for which he’s grateful.

But the expense program’s secrecy is what’s raised concerns for years.

Carney’s predecessor, Justin Trudeau, announced a review of the program in 2018 after the National Post reported former governor general Adrienne Clarkson had billed taxpayers more than $1.1 million since leaving Rideau Hall 13 years earlier. 

WATCH | Former governor general billed taxpayers over $1M:

Former governor general billed taxpayers over $1 million since leaving the job

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says Canada’s governors general deserve continued financial support once they retire but they need to be more transparent and accountable for their expenses. This follows reports that Adrienne Clarkson, who was governor general from 1999 to 2005, has billed more than $1 million in expenses since leaving the job.

The review’s report, written by former federal bureaucrat Alain Séguin in 2019, found the expense program hadn’t kept up with the government’s practices or “public’s expectation of transparency and accountability.”

At that time, the bill was $541,337 to reimburse four former governors general during the 2017-18 fiscal year. Séguin’s review noted he did not come across any unreasonable expenses.

The report called on Rideau Hall to publicly post the details of the submitted expense claims on its website similar to how MP travel expenses are publicly disclosed. Those travel expenses include dates and a breakdown of the costs.

But the Trudeau government and Rideau Hall didn’t act on that recommendation. 

Then came more public scrutiny in 2021. Julie Payette, who resigned after an external review found she presided over a toxic workplace at Rideau Hall, continued to have access to the six-figure expense account.

That led to then-deputy prime minister and finance minister Chrystia Freeland promising Ottawa would look at the program for a second time.

Five years later, no changes have been made to the public reporting of the expense claims.

WATCH | Freeland on former GG’s expenses:

Payette’s access to expense account being reviewed: Freeland

Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland says Julie Payette’s access to an expense account available to former governors general is ‘under careful consideration.’

Former governors general are only named in the government’s public accounts when they expense more than $100,000, but how that money was spent isn’t disclosed. 

Séguin’s report, released under access to information laws, found the federal government’s public reporting policy was “the wrong tool for the job” and didn’t properly capture the spending.

Call to review time limits

The review also concluded the government should evaluate whether there should be a time limit for former governors general to access the expense program.

There are currently five active former governors general, which means the potential maximum cost per year for the entire program is just over $1 million.

Payette, Michaëlle Jean, David Johnston, Clarkson and Edward Schreyer are eligible to expense monthly claims for reimbursement if they provide receipts or other supporting documentation.