Another Windsor visit to cost Canadian taxpayers millions

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The Canadian Prime Minister’s Office confirmed yesterday that newlyweds William and Kate Middleton will visit Canada later this summer, and that the tour will be paid for with federal and provincial funds.
Citizens for a Canadian Republic (CCR) continues to question why Canadian taxpayers should be on the hook to pay for visits by the Queen’s family.
“As outrageously expensive as it is, it’s one thing to pay for the Queen to come to Canada,” says Tom Freda, national director of Citizens for a Canadian Republic, “but to also pay for her children and grandchildren to visit makes no sense,” he added.
“These people are not diplomats or heads of state, they’re just celebrities.” he said. “Canadian taxpayers should no more pay to have this famous couple visit Canada then to pay for Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie or David and Victoria Beckham.”
In a national opinion poll conducted in November, 2010, 61 per cent of Canadians said they believe the monarchy should not have any formal role in Canadian society because the royals are “simply celebrities and nothing more.”
Using Access to Information data on previous royal visits, along with anticipated expenses by the provinces, CCR estimates that the 8-day royal visit will cost an estimated $500,000 to $700,000 per day or roughly $4-6 million in total.
In the wake of recent funding cuts to a variety of government ministries, CCR asks: “How can spending unnecessary millions on this royal visit be justified?”
Opinion poll link : November 24, 2010 – Sixty-one per cent of Canadians believe the monarchy should not have any formal role in Canadian society because they’re “simply celebrities and nothing more.” Also, 53 per cent agree that Canada should sever its ties with the monarchy when Queen Elizabeth’s reign ends, 56 per cent want the Governor General to be the head of state rather than the Queen and 75 per cent believe that Canada’s head of state should live in this country.


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