The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) has announced Justin Trudeau is staying with his family in Jamaica “at no cost,” despite a prior claim he would be covering the expenses himself. The Trudeau family spent the holidays in sunny Jamaica, set to return to Ottawa Thursday, with officials refusing to disclose where the prime minister would be staying, per CTV News. The PMO had initially said Trudeau was paying for the trip with his estranged wife Sophie Gregoire Trudeau and their three children out of his own pocket, but on Wednesday released a statement claiming accommodations are actually provided by “family friends.”The Trudeaus are vacationing in Jamaica “at no cost at a location owned by family friends,” the statement said, noting the federal ethics commissioner was consulted "on these details prior to the travel to ensure that the rules were followed."Trudeau’s office insisted the prime minister had consulted with the ethics commissioner before his December 26 departure and decided the Trudeaus would pay for the trip with their own money, and would “reimburse” Canadians for the cost of travel on the government plane. The PMO statement on Wednesday confirmed that despite the change in his story, Trudeau “continues to reimburse the equivalent of a commercial airline ticket for his personal travel and that of his family.”.Meanwhile, the Office of the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner said details of Trudeau’s accommodation will not be disclosed due to privacy requirements surrounding the conflict-of-interest rules."The office has a role only in ensuring that the gift provisions of the act and code are observed," spokesperson Jocelyne Brisebois said in a written statement Wednesday, per CTV. "Note that there is an exception in the act that allows a public officer holder to accept gifts or other advantages given by a relative or friend and any such gifts do not require public disclosure."Last year the Trudeaus enjoyed a family trip in Jamaica as well, staying at the luxury estate of family friend Peter Green, who made a substantial donation to the Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation, per CBC. The PMO declined to comment on whether the Trudeaus paid to stay on the property or not. In 2016 Trudeau earned an ethics violation when he took his family to Aga Khan's private island in the Bahamas over the holidays. Aga Khan is an old friend of Trudeau’s father. Former commissioner Mary Dawson ruled Trudeau’s trip was a conflict of interest, because he accepted “gifts or advantages” that could influence government policy.
The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) has announced Justin Trudeau is staying with his family in Jamaica “at no cost,” despite a prior claim he would be covering the expenses himself. The Trudeau family spent the holidays in sunny Jamaica, set to return to Ottawa Thursday, with officials refusing to disclose where the prime minister would be staying, per CTV News. The PMO had initially said Trudeau was paying for the trip with his estranged wife Sophie Gregoire Trudeau and their three children out of his own pocket, but on Wednesday released a statement claiming accommodations are actually provided by “family friends.”The Trudeaus are vacationing in Jamaica “at no cost at a location owned by family friends,” the statement said, noting the federal ethics commissioner was consulted "on these details prior to the travel to ensure that the rules were followed."Trudeau’s office insisted the prime minister had consulted with the ethics commissioner before his December 26 departure and decided the Trudeaus would pay for the trip with their own money, and would “reimburse” Canadians for the cost of travel on the government plane. The PMO statement on Wednesday confirmed that despite the change in his story, Trudeau “continues to reimburse the equivalent of a commercial airline ticket for his personal travel and that of his family.”.Meanwhile, the Office of the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner said details of Trudeau’s accommodation will not be disclosed due to privacy requirements surrounding the conflict-of-interest rules."The office has a role only in ensuring that the gift provisions of the act and code are observed," spokesperson Jocelyne Brisebois said in a written statement Wednesday, per CTV. "Note that there is an exception in the act that allows a public officer holder to accept gifts or other advantages given by a relative or friend and any such gifts do not require public disclosure."Last year the Trudeaus enjoyed a family trip in Jamaica as well, staying at the luxury estate of family friend Peter Green, who made a substantial donation to the Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation, per CBC. The PMO declined to comment on whether the Trudeaus paid to stay on the property or not. In 2016 Trudeau earned an ethics violation when he took his family to Aga Khan's private island in the Bahamas over the holidays. Aga Khan is an old friend of Trudeau’s father. Former commissioner Mary Dawson ruled Trudeau’s trip was a conflict of interest, because he accepted “gifts or advantages” that could influence government policy.
