- Senate Speaker Raymonde Gagné spent nearly $900,000 on travel since her appointment in May 2023.
- According to government documents released by the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, Gagné's office spent $875,677 for at least 14 international trips since her May 2023 appointment.
- Franco Terrazzano, federal director of the CTF, called the spending "completely unacceptable" and urged Prime Minister Mark Carney to hold Gagné accountable.
- Terrazzano noted that the total cost is actually higher because records are missing full costs for trips to Chile, Tunisia, and the Netherlands.
- A March 2024 trip to Africa included attending the opening of a regional stock exchange in Côte d'Ivoire and visiting tourist sites in Benin, costing $101,816.
- In September 2024, Gagné led a delegation to New Zealand for "business calls" and a photo op with the mayor of Rotorua, costing $118,965.
- In March 2025, Gagné traveled to Spain and the U.K., where she received a ceremonial sword from the King at Buckingham Palace, costing $105,156.
- Gagné also spent heavily on meals, including a $2,822 dinner for 12 at the Oxford and Cambridge Club in London, a $1,927 lunch in Madrid, and $1,408 for a 13-person luncheon in Bucharest.
Senate Speaker Raymonde Gagné's travel expenses have raised eyebrows, totaling $875,677 for at least 14 international trips since May 2023. The Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) criticized the spending, calling it 'completely unacceptable' and urging Prime Minister Mark Carney to intervene.1234
Gagné's trips included a March 2024 visit to Africa for the opening of a regional stock exchange in Côte d'Ivoire, costing $101,816, and a September 2024 delegation to New Zealand, which cost $118,965. Notably, her March 2025 trip to Spain and the U.K. included a ceremonial event at Buckingham Palace, costing $105,156.678
The CTF's federal director, Franco Terrazzano, stated, "It's hard to imagine why an unelected senator should be travelling anywhere outside of the country on taxpayers' dime". He emphasized that the total cost is likely higher, as records are missing full expenses for trips to Chile, Tunisia, and the Netherlands. Gagné's lavish meals also drew criticism, including a $2,822 dinner for 12 in London and a $1,927 lunch in Madrid.59
Terrazzano urged, "Prime Minister Mark Carney needs to hold Gagné accountable and make sure senators aren't globetrotting on the taxpayer credit card."
“The $875,677 total covers at least 14 international trips, including a $101,816 Africa visit and a $118,965 New Zealand delegation, with missing costs for Chile, Tunisia, and the Netherlands. Gagné also charged $2,822 for a London dinner for 12 and $1,927 for a Madrid lunch.”
theguardian.com
