Federal employees from various departments today faced questions from MPs on a parliamentary committee about Gov. Gen. Mary Simon’s travel expenses from her trip to the Middle East in March, which totalled $1.3 million and included in-flight catering costs averaging $218 per meal for each attendee.
“At no time did the governor general make any decisions, request any service, or otherwise voice any preferences about travel, accommodation, catering [during the trip],” said Christine MacIntyre, Deputy Secretary of the governor general’s office, while testifying before the House of Commons government operations and estimates committee on Dec. 12.
The committee previously received documents from the federal departments that sent delegations on the trip, which included the RCMP, National Defence, Global Affairs Canada, and the governor general’s office….