Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has come under scrutiny for his extravagant vacations, which have cost Canadian taxpayers over $678,000 in the past year. Conservative MP Luc Berthold raised the issue after submitting an order paper question regarding Trudeau’s expenses.
One of the costliest vacations was a week-long trip to Jamaica from December 26 to January 4. The total expense for this vacation was at least $162,000, which covered flights, security, and accommodations for the Trudeau family, as well as the RCMP details assigned to protect them. Rebel News, who first reported on the costs in March, discovered that expenditures included nearly $33,000 at the Department of National Defence, covering accommodations, meals, and local travel. The Privy Council Office (PCO) spent over $13,000, including $3,200 to fly a staffer to Jamaica. The RCMP also spent approximately $115,000.
In April, Trudeau took another expensive vacation, this time staying in Bozeman and Big Sky, Montana, from April 6 to 10. The cost of this trip exceeded the federal figure tabled in Parliament, amounting to $228,839. The Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) and Privy Council spent $23,846 on the trip, while accommodations, meals, travel, and overtime pay for Trudeau’s protection detail amounted to $204,993. The CBC first reported on this vacation.
The prime minister’s vacation in Torino, B.C., from August 10 to 18 was also costly for taxpayers. While the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) claimed that the Trudeaus would pay for their own stay, the RCMP security costs alone reached at least $287,285, with potential additional costs to be processed. This figure does not include expenses from the Privy Council Office or the Royal Canadian Air Force, as the family flew to B.C. on a government Bombardier Challenger jet. According to access-to-information records obtained by the Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF), the total cost for the three vacations Trudeau took this year exceeded $678,000.
These extravagant vacations have raised concerns among Canadians, especially considering the high costs involved. Franco Terrazzano, CTF Federal Director, expressed the sentiment that ordinary Canadians cannot afford to take such costly vacations and questioned why Trudeau could not have stayed at his taxpayer-funded cottage at Harrington Lake instead.
Many Canadians believe that the government should find ways to reduce these excessive vacation expenses. The expenditure of over $678,000 on three vacations by Trudeau is seen as excessive and unnecessary, especially when it represents the equivalent cost of a family home in the suburbs. As taxpayers continue to voice their concerns, it remains to be seen whether any measures will be taken to address the issue of extravagant government spending on vacations.
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