Governor General Louise Arbour takes the throne as Canada's 31st Governor General in Ottawa on June 8.Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press
The Governor-General’s clothing allowance has been reduced amidst a review of spending for the operations of the King’s representative in Canada.
The reduction, confirmed in a statement to The Globe and Mail, comes soon after Louise Arbour was installed as the new Governor-General at the beginning of June. In May, Ken MacKillop, the Secretary to the Governor-General faced questions from a Commons committee about spending for the role, including allowance for clothing.
“Every year, we look at this to see how it can be adjusted,” Mr. MacKillop said of the allowance during his appearance before the committee on government operations and estimates.
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The allowance will cover “distinct wardrobe requirements” for the governor-general and spouse, such as formal, black-tie evening wear, or clothing for such “very special occasions” as a coronation, said Marilyne Guèvremont, a spokesperson for the Governor-General’s Office, in the statement.
But the allowance will no longer cover everyday business attire. That will be the responsibility of the governor-general and their spouse, Ms. Guèvremont said.
She added that the Office of the Secretary to the Governor-General regularly examines and reviews internal guidelines and practices, including over the transition period between those holding the post, “to ensure they remain appropriate, responsible.”
She noted that spending on clothing has varied based on operational requirements, including state visits and other official events when specific attire is required.
A different statement, provided on a background basis by the Governor-General’s Office, said that guidelines on a clothing allowance were reviewed in 2021, decreasing the reimbursable amount by 35 per cent to a maximum of $130,000 over a five-year term.
During his May appearance before the Commons committee, Mr. MacKillop acknowledged spending pressures on the Governor-General’s Office.
Although the budget of the office has been “stable” over several years, he said it has been subject to Prime Minister Mark Carney’s comprehensive expenditure review to reduce government operating costs.
As a result, he said the office will have to save $1.3-million in continuing savings by 2028-29. He said the budget reduction for 2026-27 is about $743,000.
Mr. MacKillop told the committee that the office has 162 employees, whose $16.4-million in salaries come out of a $22.4-million annual budget.
The secretary said the office is responsible for a mix of constitutional duties such as swearing in governments, granting royal assent to legislation, and recognizing Canadian excellence through honours including the Order of Canada.
The governor-general also travels within Canada and abroad to advance domestic and foreign policy objectives. Those include strengthening co-operation and supporting sovereignty; in February, for example, former governor-general Mary Simon marked the opening of the Canadian consulate in Nuuk, Greenland.
Mr. MacKillop told the committee he had worked with Ms. Simon for two-and-a-half years, and now looked forward to welcoming Ms. Arbour.
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“I’ve seen first-hand how we balance the constitutional responsibilities of the Crown and service to Canadians from coast to coast to coast, while staying firmly committed to doing so with fiscal responsibility and transparency as well,” he said.
During the hearing in May, Conservative MP Tamara Jansen raised questions about the office’s spending, including past governors-general being able to claim up to $200,000 a year in expenses for life.
The program, created in 1979, covers administrative support, office support and travel costs incurred by the former representatives of the monarch.
Mr. MacKillop confirmed that more than $550,000 was billed by five former governors-general last year.
However, as of the hearing the last month, he said a breakdown of those expenses has not been released publicly.
Ms. Jansen also questioned $1.3-million spent on a 2022 trip by Ms. Simon to the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Kuwait. Mr. MacKillop said a number of 2023 recommendations on travel spending made by the committee had been enacted.
John Fraser, the author of the new book, The Governors General: An Intimate History of Canada’s Highest Office, said the cuts to the clothing allowance could have challenging consequences.
“There’s nothing wrong with the Office of the Governor-General having to tighten their purse strings like all of us are doing. The specifics should be based on actual needs. I hope this is not an arbitrary hit on clothing because the most obvious thing about a governor-general is what they wear,” he said in an interview.