Conservative MP will also ask Foreign Affairs Minister, key Global Affairs staffers to testify at ethics committee to give answers

A general view of the Corinthia hotel in Whitehall, London. (Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)

Ottawa’s repeated refusals to name who stayed in one of London’s priciest hotel suites during Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral last year has prompted a taxpayers’ advocacy group to seek legal action and a Conservative MP to demand answers.

On Wednesday, the Canadian Taxpayers Federation announced it would be launching a legal challenge to force the government to disclose who stayed in the Corinthia Hotel’s 4,800 pound-per-night “River Suite,” a move taxpayers federation director Franco Terrazzano described as a matter of principle.

“They spent our money, and they need to come clean about it,” he told the National Post.

“Taxpayers deserve to know who wasted our money staying in the $6,000-per-night hotel room. The government is being as transparent as a coconut.”

Current exchange rates put the cost of the room at around $7,773.33 Canadian per night.

Global Affairs Canada spent 281,400 pounds (over $453,000 Canadian) to lodge dignitaries, politicians, support staff and guests at two London-area hotels attending the Queen’s funeral. The Toronto Sun’s Brian Lilley revealed the cost in October 2022.

While staffers stayed at a hotel near Stanstead Airport, the prime minister, governor general and other dignitaries were lodged at the Corinthia — a five-star hotel with views of the Thames, complimentary butler service and located a short walk from Westminster Abbey.

Canada’s official funeral delegation included former prime ministers Stephen Harper, Paul Martin, Jean Chretien and Kim Campbell, former governors-general Michaëlle Jean and David Johnston, as well as musician Gregory Charles, Olympian Mark Tewksbury, and actress Sandra Oh.

As questions on who stayed in the room swirled, Rideau Hall issued a statement claiming Gov. Gen. Mary Simon — who at the time was embroiled in her own spending scandal involving $100,000 in-flight catering bills — didn’t stay in the room.

Emails obtained by the Toronto Sun suggest even Global Affairs Canada staffers were unsure.

“Rideau Hall has confirmed that it was not Governor General Mary Simon,” wrote GAC spokesperson Jason Kung in an email exchange with other staffers.

“Was it the prime minister? Was it a former GG? Was it Sandra Oh?”

A except from a response to an access to information request filed by the Canadian Taxpayer’s Federation, which Global Affairs Canada ended up redacting. Courtesy Canadian Taxpayer’s Federation

Frédéric Huot-Bolduc of GAC’s official visits division replied by confirming the booking, but further details were redacted.

An access to information request filed by the CTF last week came back with the answer of who stayed in the room, only to have the response redacted under sections 16 and 19 of the Access to Information Act — redacted not only to protect personal information, but also to prevent revealing information on the “…vulnerability of particular buildings or other structures or systems … or methods employed to protect such buildings or other structures or systems.”

Huot-Bolduc’s response to Kung was likewise redacted under sec. 16 and 19, but also sec.21(1) — described in government ATIP guides as meant to protect disclosures “… relating to the internal decision-making processes of government, the disclosure of which would interfere with the operations of government institutions.”

Inquires for comment to Global Affairs Canada weren’t answered by press time.

Terrezanno remained unmoved about the government’s justifications for keeping the name quiet.

“The funeral already happened, five months ago,” he said.

“Unless the government is worried about the Terminator travelling back in time, we can safely disclose who stayed in that hotel room.”

Meanwhile, Conservative MP Michael Barrett told the National Post he plans on calling Kung, Huot-Bolduc, U.K. High Commission Head-of-Visits Davon Singh and Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly to appear before the Commons ethics committee to explain — saying taxpayers deserve to know who stayed in the room.

“It’s part of a culture of secrecy and a government that after eight years believes that they’re above the law, and not accountable to Canadians,” Barrett said.

“When they want to say that who stayed in a $6,000-per-night luxury hotel suite is a matter of national security, this is government that’s lost the plot.”

• Email: bpassifiume@postmedia.com | Twitter: @bryanpassifiume

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