Global Affairs Canada increased hospitality spending 53 per cent in 2025-26, according to the government’s financial records reviewed by the Canadian Taxpayers Federation. 

“Prime Minister Mark Carney keeps telling Canadians his government will spend less, but his government’s own numbers show Global Affairs just jacked up hospitality spending 53 per cent in one year,” said Gage Haubrich, CTF Prairie Director. “Can anyone in Ottawa say with a straight face that Canadians are getting 53 per cent extra value from government bureaucrats hosting parties and events with our money?”

Global Affairs spent $15.5 million on hospitality, hosting parties and events, in 2025-26. That’s up from $10.1 million the year before.

Of its total hospitality spending last year, it spent nearly half that, $7.5 million, in other countries.      

Global Affairs spent $44 million on hospitality over the last four years.

Global Affairs spent far more on hospitality in the United States, nearly $1.3 million, than anywhere else in the world last year. Global Affairs spent more than $1 million on hospitality in the United States every year for the last four years.

Other hospitality spending abroad last year included $582,700 in Mexico, where Global Affairs hosted a “French language and cultural diversity” festival. Global Affairs also spent $324,300 in South Korea, which included a “queer cultural festival” and a “French-Canadian culture” arts event.

The department spent $178,500 on hospitality in Thailand. One of the events was a Canada Day celebration hosted by the Canadian embassy for Thai royals featuring lobster rolls, beaver tails and a live opera performance, according to a government social media post.

“Are Canadian taxpayers really getting value from all this spending, or are bureaucrats just looking for reasons to throw parties and festivals in other countries on our dime?” Haubrich said. “This pattern of big hospitality bills makes it look like they’re looking for ways to blow taxpayers’ money.”

Global Affairs’ spent tens of thousands of dollars on hospitality in countries where Canada has no embassy or consulate services.

Global Affairs spent $12,821 on hospitality in Libya over the last four years, a country where the federal government has no embassy, no staff on the ground and where it tells Canadians not to go.

It spent $17,697 in Syria over the last four years, where “there is no office of the Government of Canada.” Canada “has not had a diplomatic presence in Syria since it closed its embassy in Damascus in 2012,” according to the government’s website.

It spent $10,529 on hospitality in Venezuela. But “there is no office of the Government of Canada in Venezuela,” according to the government’s website.

Global Affairs did not respond to the CTF’s request for explanations on spending decisions in these areas where there is no government presence.

Global Affairs also spent money on hospitality in countries with popular beach destinations including Cuba, Barbados, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, the Dominican Republic and Fiji.

Global Affairs increased its spending in Fiji by 381 per cent and in the Dominican Republic by 102 per cent last year.

All told, Global Affairs spent $570,000 on hospitality in Barbados, Jamaica, Dominican Republic, Cuba, Trinidad and Tobago and Fiji in the last four years.

“The government is massively in debt, Canadians are struggling and Carney repeatedly promised to save money so he needs to tell bureaucrats to cut the extravagance overseas,” Haubrich said.

Global Affairs is notorious for wasting Canadian taxpayers’ money in other countries. It spent more than $3.3 million on alcohol between January 2019 and May 2024, according to access-to-information records obtained by the Canadian Taxpayers Federation. That works out to $51,000 per month spent on booze.

Global Affairs also spent $8,800 on a sex toy show in Germany and $12,520 so seniors in other countries could talk about their sex lives in front of live audiences.

While Global Affairs continues to hike its hospitality spending, the Carney government ordered departments to find savings of up to 15 per cent.

“Our government will work relentlessly to cut waste and drive efficiencies,” Carney said ahead of Budget 2025.