$250K tab for legal fees paid by Payette office

The Governor General's office spent nearly $250,000 on legal fees to two law firms over the course of the independent review of Julie Payette's troubled tenure.

The contracts, first reported by Blacklock's Reporter, an Ottawa news website, show the Office of the Secretary to the Governor General paid out a total of $249,627 to legal firms for contracts beginning in September 2020.

The review of Payette, which was launched by the Privy Council Office in July, was done by Quintet Consulting, and cost $88,325, according to CBC.

The two law firms, Blake, Cassels and Graydon LLP, and Cazasaikaley SRL/LLP, were, the Governor General's office said, hired to ensure there were no conflicts of interest on the part of the Privy Council Office's legal service with regards to the review.

“The rationale for this decision was that the (Office of the Secretary to the Governor General) does not have in-house legal counsel, and required advice on both legal and constitutional issues that were raised during the exercise,” said a statement from Lynne Santerre, manager of public affairs.

Blake, Cassels and Graydon LLP was paid nearly $169,000, and Cazasaikaley SRL/LLP was paid just shy of $41,000 for their contributions on one contract, and about $40,000 on another.

The final review into Payette's troubled tenure as governor general found that some staff described Rideau Hall as working in a “climate or reign of fear or terror,” and a dozen people said they were “walking on eggshells.”