OTTAWA, ON: The Canadian Taxpayers Federation announced this morning that more than 100,000 Canadians have signed the petition calling on the Trudeau government to scrap expense accounts for retired governors general.

“More than 100,000 Canadians are sending the Trudeau government a clear message: stop wasting taxpayers’ money on expenses accounts for Julie Payette and other former governors general,” said CTF Federal Director Aaron Wudrick. “Canadians can’t understand why taxpayers should be on the hook for hundreds of thousands of dollars a year for the office expenses of retired governors general. The prime minister needs to end this program.”

The retired governors general expense program was established by the government of former prime minister Pierre Trudeau in 1979. As of 2019, the annual expense limit for each former governor general is $206,000.

The CTF obtained a government report through an access to information request that showed the estates of retired governors general can even continue to bill taxpayers for office expenses for six months after their death.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau promised to study the issue after media reported Adrienne Clarkson billed taxpayers for more than a $1.1 million in expenses after leaving office, but has yet to end the program.

The CTF will continue to collect signatures on the petition at:

https://www.taxpayer.com/petitions/cut-off-expenses-when-a-governor-general-leaves-office