London: A Canadian politician has termed Prince William and his wife Catherine "parasites", just ahead of the royal couple's trip to the North American country, a media report said.
Amir Khadir, the 49-year-old Iran-born leader of the Left-wing Quebec Solitaire party, said the visit by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge to Canada would be a "waste of public funds", the Daily Express reported.
Khadir told the Journal de Quebec newspaper: "What a waste of public funds - all of this to welcome these parasites. If we were welcoming someone because they had great ideas or because they did remarkable things, fine. But it galls me that we're doing this for someone with blue blood in their veins."
The politician has threatened to stage a demonstration during their stay.
The royal couple have vowed not to be a burden on taxpayers. They would take only travel costs and office maintenance from the Crown Estate that would fund the royal family's official duties from 2013.
William earns around GBP 1.6 million a year - with GBP 37,170 salary as an Air Force helicopter pilot and around GBP 300,000 from the GBP 6.5 million left to him by his mother, the late Princess Diana.
During their 11-day tour of Canada and the US, the couple plan to visit nine cities.
They would be flown around Canada on a Canadian Air Force plane paid for by its government. The British government would pay for the US section of the tour.
Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper has welcomed the trip, saying it would cement a bond with Britain.
Nathalie Normandeau, deputy premier of Quebec, accused Khadir of demonstrating "a lack of class".
IANS
First Published: Thursday, June 02, 2011, 15:51