GAGNON: Governor General Mary Simon should refuse her pay raise |
When Canadians are asked to make sacrifices, those at the top need to lead by example.
No one is better positioned to set that example than Governor General Mary Simon. The government just gave her an automatic raise of $15,800, so her total salary is now $393,800.
GAGNON: Governor General Mary Simon should refuse her pay raise Back to video
For context, a family of four will spend about $17,000 on groceries this year.
This time, however, the increase did not go unnoticed.
A recent Leger poll confirms what many Canadians already know: The governor general’s salary is too high. Nearly 60% support want to cut the governor general’s pay.
Canadians are increasingly frustrated with automatic pay raises for the highest levels of government, particularly for a ceremonial office. And they are right to be.
Canadians were told by Prime Minister Mark Carney that they need to prepare to make sacrifices. But those at the top are taking a “do as I say, not as I do” approach.
Salary hikes only tip of the iceberg
The federal government has hiked the governor general’s annual salary by $75,200 (or 25%) since 2019.
Meanwhile, the average annual salary among all full-time workers in Canada was roughly $70,000 in 2024, according to Statistics Canada data.
And yet, salary hikes are only the tip of the iceberg.
Merely running the governor general’s office will cost taxpayers about $26.2 million this year.
The governor general also enjoys generous taxpayer-funded perks that have little to do with the job. She can bill up to $130,000 for clothing every five years. And clearly, she loves those perks.
Government documents show that between January 2024 and March 2025, Mary Simon charged taxpayers $7,576 for clothing, including $2,510 for luxury wool suits and $1,117 for shoes.
It’s a no-brainer that anyone earning a six-figure income can pay for their own clothes.
Yet, the benefits continue long after the mandate ends. Former governors general take $150,000 per year from taxpayers for the rest of their lives. They also retain lavish expense accounts that can reach $200,000 a year, creating a taxpayer-funded retirement far removed from the realities faced by most Canadians.
Travel costs have also climbed. Despite parliamentary committees condemning the “absurdity” of expenses in 2023, National Defence’s bill for the governor general’s travel rose 21% in 2024 to about $3 million.
Leadership is about setting examples
Taken together, the rising salary, taxpayer-funded wardrobe, lifetime pension, expense accounts and travel costs show the governor general does not need another pay raise. That can still change if leadership is shown.
Leadership is not only about making decisions for others, but is also about setting an example. Restraint cannot apply only to taxpayers while those at the top remain insulated from the rising cost of living that’s hurting ordinary Canadians.
Refusing the latest automatic raise would send a clear message that public service comes with responsibility and sacrifice, not entitlement.
Parliament has similarly shown little willingness to sacrifice their pay raises. MPs have refused to cut or freeze their salaries despite polling showing that 80% of Canadians support a salary freeze for federal politicians.
So far, Mike Dawson is the only one of the 343 members of the House of Commons who has said he will refuse the raise.
The governor general now has an opportunity to lead where other leaders have chosen not to.
With her mandate drawing toward its conclusion and a transition at Rideau Hall on the horizon, Simon has a rare chance to leave a lasting mark before the change of guard.
By refusing future automatic pay increases and reviewing her premium perks, Simon could reset expectations for the office and for those who follow.
It would show the entire government that taking taxpayer-funded pay hikes while Canadians are struggling is wrong and that those at the top should share in the sacrifices Canadians are being asked to make.
The example must now come from the very top.
Nicolas Gagnon is the Quebec director of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation
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