The Speaker of the Senate, Raymonde Gagné, and her entourage spent nearly $900,000 on international travel in the three years since she was appointed to the role, according to the government’s financial disclosure records reviewed by the Canadian Taxpayers Federation.

“It’s hard to imagine why an unelected senator should be travelling anywhere outside of the country on taxpayers’ dime, so Gagné billing taxpayers almost $1 million to fly around the world is completely unacceptable,” said Franco Terrazzano, CTF Federal Director. “Prime Minister Mark Carney needs to hold Gagné accountable and make sure senators aren’t globetrotting on the taxpayer credit card.”

Gagné and her entourage billed taxpayers $875,677 across at least 14 international trips since she was appointed speaker of the senate in May 2023, according to the financial disclosures. The total cost of Gagné’s international trips is higher because the records do not include the full cost of the speaker’s trips to Chile, Tunisia and the Netherlands.

For context, the speaker of the House of Commons’ international travel bill over the same period was $771,243. That’s about $104,434 less than Gagné spent on trips abroad.

The records for Gagné’s travel do not indicate any reimbursements to taxpayers.

Gagné’s annual salary is $268,300. The speaker also receives residence and car allowances in addition to other benefits.

Senators are unelected and have no constituency. That means Gagné isn’t representing any Canadian constituency when she travels abroad.

Gagné and her entourage went to Japan in March 2026 to pay a “courtesy call” to the Japanese foreign affairs minister. The trip cost $107,594.

Gagné and her delegation went to Spain and the United Kingdom in March 2025 where the delegation received a “new ceremonial sword” from King Charles. The trip cost taxpayers $105,156.

Gagné and her delegation went to New Zealand in September 2024 for “business calls” in Rotorua, a popular tourist destination, Christchurch and Wellington.

Gagné visited the Rotorua Lakes city council and posed for a photo with the town’s mayor. For context, that would be like a foreign senator visiting the city hall in Whistler, British Columbia.

The New Zealand trip cost $118,965.

Gagné and her entourage also visited Africa in March 2024. They “attended the opening of the Regional Stock Exchange” in Côte d’Ivoire to watch a ceremonial signing of a memorandum of understanding with the Montreal Stock Exchange.

In Benin, the delegation “visited major tourist sites” and learned about the “sacred forest of Voodoo culture.”

The Africa trip cost $101,816.

Gagné and her delegation also went to the U.K. and Ireland to discuss artificial intelligence and climate change. The speaker and her delegation billed taxpayers $82,877.

The speaker also went to Switzerland, France, the United States, Belgium, Brazil, Romania, the Czech Republic and South Africa, according to the records.

“If Gagné wants to make a courtesy call to a Japanese politician, then she should pick up the phone instead of billing taxpayers six figures,” Terrazzano said. “In what world is it acceptable for an unelected senator to bill taxpayers thousands of dollars for meals and receptions in Europe?”

Not only did Gagné go on more than a dozen international trips, her and her delegation spent big on hospitality while she was abroad.

Gagné billed taxpayers $2,822 for a dinner with 11 other people at the Oxford and Cambridge Club in London. That works out to $235 per person.

Gagné spent $1,927 on a luncheon in Madrid, Spain, for 12 people. That works out to $160 per person. She spent $1,408 on a luncheon for 13 people in Bucharest, Romania, and $2,204 for a reception in Dublin catered by “Gourmet Chef.”

 “If senators aren’t going to represent anyone but themselves then they need to not represent anyone for a lot less money,” Terrazzano said.

Gagné publicly discussed her passion for international travel.

In a 2024 interview for SenCAPlus, the Senate’s magazine, the interviewer pointed out Gagné is “an avid traveller,” having visited “30 countries and almost every continent.”

“I cherish those experiences,” Gagné said. “My current partner also likes to travel, and we have explored India and Japan together.”

Gagné’s “current partner” joined her on at least eight of her taxpayer-funded international trips, according to the records.

“I still pinch myself when I realize that I am sitting in the Red Chamber,” Gagné said.