The 633-member Canadian delegation that travelled to the United Nations Climate Conference (COP28) in Dubai November 30, led by Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault, cost taxpayers $1,353,307. One delegate, whose identity was not disclosed, booked a hotel suite that racked up a bill of $1,822 per night, according to documents published by Blacklock’s Reporter. Guilbeault billed $13,240 for airfare and $2,262 for meals. The entire delegation spent a total of $658,612 on airfare for the 13-day conference.On Monday, MPs tabled an Inquiry Of Ministry, which detailed the more than $1.35 million in costs — and said there were more unfiled claims expected to drive up the bill for taxpayers even more. “The costs incurred do not reflect the final costs,” said the inquiry. “There are still invoices and claims as well as recoveries between departments that have yet to be processed.”Conservative MP Dan Mazier had put forward the motion for the inquiry to find out just how much of a bill Guilbeault’s environment team racked up. “What were the total expenses incurred with regard to the Government of Canada’s delegation to COP28 in Dubai?” asked Mazier at the time. It was Conservative MP Andrew Scheer who flagged the unnamed Canadian delegate who booked a $1,822-a night suite at the Tryp by Wyndham Dubai, which is an “ultra-modern hotel” with a lounge and “free shuttle service to the beach,” according to management. Charges at the Wyndham Dubai include $42 for draft beer, $55 for a hamburger and $140 for lamp chops..Guilbeault’s office said it could not calculate the carbon footprint left by the Dubai junket. “The (environment) department undertook an extensive preliminary search to determine the amount of information that would fall within the scope of this question and the amount of time that would be required to prepare a comprehensive response,” said the inquiry.“The information requested is not systematically tracked in a centralized database,” it said. “The department concluded that producing and validating a comprehensive estimate of the carbon footprint resulting from the Canadian delegation’s travel to and from the conference would require a manual collection of information that is not possible.”Guilbeault bragged about Canada’s representation at COP28 a few days before his departure on November 27. “Every conference represents a unique opportunity for humanity to further our climate fight,” said Guilbeault. “This is the next significant milestone in our collective efforts to advance human security, economic prosperity and the health and well-being of our planet.”“We have the solutions if only we can maintain the will and conviction to pursue them with the required speed and commitment,” he said. “Together we will carve a brighter future for our planet.”The Liberals are not new to spending exorbitant amounts of taxpayers' money on hotel suites. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau billed $6,000 a night while in England for the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II. Trudeau’s office booked the suite for the prime minister and his estranged wife Sophie Gregoire Trudeau at the Corinthia Hotel London from September 15 to 20, 2022. ““The death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II was a significant event for Canadians,” said Trudeau’s press secretary in a written statement at the time. “Canada was represented by former prime ministers and governors general to pay their respects to the monarch who oversaw almost half of Canada's time as an independent country.”
The 633-member Canadian delegation that travelled to the United Nations Climate Conference (COP28) in Dubai November 30, led by Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault, cost taxpayers $1,353,307. One delegate, whose identity was not disclosed, booked a hotel suite that racked up a bill of $1,822 per night, according to documents published by Blacklock’s Reporter. Guilbeault billed $13,240 for airfare and $2,262 for meals. The entire delegation spent a total of $658,612 on airfare for the 13-day conference.On Monday, MPs tabled an Inquiry Of Ministry, which detailed the more than $1.35 million in costs — and said there were more unfiled claims expected to drive up the bill for taxpayers even more. “The costs incurred do not reflect the final costs,” said the inquiry. “There are still invoices and claims as well as recoveries between departments that have yet to be processed.”Conservative MP Dan Mazier had put forward the motion for the inquiry to find out just how much of a bill Guilbeault’s environment team racked up. “What were the total expenses incurred with regard to the Government of Canada’s delegation to COP28 in Dubai?” asked Mazier at the time. It was Conservative MP Andrew Scheer who flagged the unnamed Canadian delegate who booked a $1,822-a night suite at the Tryp by Wyndham Dubai, which is an “ultra-modern hotel” with a lounge and “free shuttle service to the beach,” according to management. Charges at the Wyndham Dubai include $42 for draft beer, $55 for a hamburger and $140 for lamp chops..Guilbeault’s office said it could not calculate the carbon footprint left by the Dubai junket. “The (environment) department undertook an extensive preliminary search to determine the amount of information that would fall within the scope of this question and the amount of time that would be required to prepare a comprehensive response,” said the inquiry.“The information requested is not systematically tracked in a centralized database,” it said. “The department concluded that producing and validating a comprehensive estimate of the carbon footprint resulting from the Canadian delegation’s travel to and from the conference would require a manual collection of information that is not possible.”Guilbeault bragged about Canada’s representation at COP28 a few days before his departure on November 27. “Every conference represents a unique opportunity for humanity to further our climate fight,” said Guilbeault. “This is the next significant milestone in our collective efforts to advance human security, economic prosperity and the health and well-being of our planet.”“We have the solutions if only we can maintain the will and conviction to pursue them with the required speed and commitment,” he said. “Together we will carve a brighter future for our planet.”The Liberals are not new to spending exorbitant amounts of taxpayers' money on hotel suites. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau billed $6,000 a night while in England for the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II. Trudeau’s office booked the suite for the prime minister and his estranged wife Sophie Gregoire Trudeau at the Corinthia Hotel London from September 15 to 20, 2022. ““The death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II was a significant event for Canadians,” said Trudeau’s press secretary in a written statement at the time. “Canada was represented by former prime ministers and governors general to pay their respects to the monarch who oversaw almost half of Canada's time as an independent country.”
