Governor General of Canada - Residences and Household

Residences and Household

Rideau Hall in Ottawa is, as the residence of the monarch, the official residence of the governor general and is thus the location of the viceroyal household and the Chancellery of Honours. A governor general's wife is known as the chatelaine of Rideau Hall, though there is no equivalent term for a governor general's husband. For a part of each year since 1872, governors general have also resided at the Citadel (La Citadelle) in Quebec City, Quebec.

The viceregal household aids the governor general in the execution of the royal constitutional and ceremonial duties and is managed by the Office of the Secretary to the Governor General. These organized offices and support systems include aides-de-camp, press officers, financial managers, speech writers, trip organizers, event planners, protocol officers, chefs and other kitchen employees, waiters, and various cleaning staff, as well as visitors' centre staff and tour guides at both official residences. The Chancellery of Honours also centres around the Queen and is thus administered by the governor general, whose secretary simultaneously holds the position of Herald Chancellor of Canada and, as such, oversees the Canadian Heraldic Authority—the mechanism of the Canadian honours system by which armorial bearings are granted to Canadians by the governor general in the name of the sovereign. In this official and bureaucratic capacity, the entire household is often referred to as Government House. These departments are funded through the normal federal budgetary process, as is the governor general's salary of CAD$134,970, which will be taxed as of 2013. Additional costs are incurred from separate ministries and organizations such as the National Capital Commission, the Department of National Defence, and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

The governor general's air transportation is assigned to 412 (Transport) Squadron. The squadron uses Bombardier Challenger 600 VIP jet to transport the governor general to locations within and outside of Canada.

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