Thank you, Mr. Chair and members of the committee.
As part of my duties as the Deputy Secretary for the Policy, Program and Protocol Branch at the Office of the Secretary to the Governor General, or the OSGG as we are known, I am responsible for the planning and execution of the Governor General’s program. I was also the lead OSGG official accompanying the Governor General on the visit to the Middle East in March 2022.
I am pleased to appear again before this committee, joined by my colleagues from four other government departments, to assist with your continued and valued work regarding expenses related to official international travel of governors general.
Since our previous appearance, I am pleased to report that, together with our partner departments, some progress has been made in our commitments to the committee.
As per the committee’s motion, documents were provided detailing expenses associated with the Middle East visit, in addition to a list of official international travel by Governors General since 2014. Our offices have been reviewing how processes can be strengthened and streamlined, and the OSGG has actively participated in the working group on in-flight catering. My colleagues leading this group will speak further to this.
I would like to take this opportunity to reiterate the Governor General’s and the office’s commitment to the responsible use of public funds in all that we do. We understand the serious financial challenges felt by many Canadians.
And so, while diplomatic travel is a vital component of a country’s international engagement strategy, decisions must always reflect the highest possible standards of stewardship to ensure value for money in the use of public funds.
I would also like to take this opportunity to reiterate that at no time did the Governor General make any decisions, request any service or otherwise voice any preferences about travel, accommodation, catering or any of the administrative and logistical arrangements discussed here. She understands and respects that accountabilities and responsibilities for these visits and the related budgets reside with public servants in the appropriate government departments involved.
I also reiterate that the costs related to in-flight catering on the Middle East visit were unacceptable. My colleagues from the Royal Canadian Air Force and Global Affairs Canada will speak to this in greater detail, but I want to assure the committee that the situation is being addressed. There have already been changes, and we are all confident that these improvements will continue.
Why is this important? It is because face-to-face representation abroad is a vital part of any country’s foreign policy. A key component of the Governor General’s responsibilities is to help the Government of Canada achieve its international objectives and further enhance its diplomatic relations. This includes facilitating global co-operation and dialogue; representing Canadian values; showcasing Canadian achievement; commemorating Canada’s efforts and service, both civilian and military, to help people and regions in need; opening doors to trade; and delivering strong and important messages behind closed doors. However, this is only ever done at the request of the Prime Minister and the Government of Canada.
On the rare occasion when governors general are invited to participate in events in other countries by non-governmental organizations, they only do so with the consent and approval of the government.
We want to thank members of Parliament and the committee for raising these issues, as they have prompted a much-needed review of all related procedures and practices.
With respect to future official international visits on behalf of Canada, the OSGG commits to working with our partner departments to add further structure and rigour to planning and coordination. In this way, we will ensure that decision-making is clear, approaches are reviewed and adapted, efficiencies are found and flags are raised when required.
This is a process of continuous improvement, one that takes time to achieve and will not be perfect from the beginning, but we are determined to learn from the past and to move forward with official visits where foreign policy objectives and outcomes are advanced in a context of careful, responsible and robust stewardship of public funds.
I thank you for the opportunity to speak to you today.
I stand ready to answer any questions you may have.