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OTTAWA — In an unprecedented move, former Governor General David Johnston has released a report showing how he has used public funding to support his work since leaving Rideau Hall last year.

Johnston’s report does not capture a full year’s spending, instead covering the six months from when he left office on Oct. 2, 2017, to the end of the government’s fiscal year on Mar. 31, 2018. During that time, Johnston billed $76,650.26, though the report says nearly half of that was in one-time transition and start-up costs as he set up his office.

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The Former Governors General Program, through which the public pays to support the work of former holders of the vice-regal office in perpetuity after they leave Rideau Hall, has offered little transparency since its creation in 1979.

Johnston’s report marks the first time the public has seen any breakdown about how the funding is spent, save for the occasional appearance of a lump sum in the government’s public accounts. So far, no other former governor general has committed to releasing their expense claims.