Records show Carney spent more than Trudeau on luxury in-flight meals

Prime Minister Mark Carney and his entourage billed taxpayers $195,400 for gourmet in-flight meals during three international trips in 2025, according to records obtained by the Canadian Taxpayers Federation.The documents show Carney’s flights to London, Rome and Brussels featured luxury meals including veal escalope, beef tenderloin with bordelaise sauce, Scottish salmon fillet and “slow simmered beef with red wine reduction sauce.”“Carney spent more money on airplane food during three trips than the average family will spend on groceries in a decade,” said Franco Terrazzano, federal director of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation. “When the government is paying more than a billion dollars a week to cover interest charges on the debt, it’s time to stop irresponsible overspending on luxuries like gourmet in-flight dining.”The catering menus also included charcuterie platters described as an “Italian, Spanish and European selection,” desserts such as crème brûlée and blueberry cheesecake, and even “luxury Normandy butter cups.”Passengers aboard the government flights reportedly had four wines to choose from, including Le Clos Jordanne Le Grand Clos Pinot Noir 2017 and Meyer Family Vineyards Pinot Noir 2020, both retailing for more than $50 a bottle.Records show Carney’s entourage spent $93,780 on in-flight catering during a May 2025 trip to Rome. By comparison, former prime minister Justin Trudeau’s delegation spent $43,000 on airplane food during a similar Italy trip in 2024.Despite repeatedly promising Canadians his government would “spend less,” Carney’s Rome catering bill was more than double Trudeau’s..Meals during the Rome flights included Greek-style grilled chicken with orzo pasta and feta cheese, herb and smoked gouda omelets, turkey sausage, breakfast potatoes and crêpes with vanilla cream and fruit compote.Another $49,043 was billed for airplane food during a June trip to Brussels and the Netherlands. Menus included sautéed beef with “world famous creamy sauce,” chicken with white wine gravy and slow-cooked beef with red wine reduction.Carney’s delegation also spent $52,610 on in-flight catering during a March trip to London, U.K. Meals on that trip featured red wine-braised beef with pearl onion and edamame ragu, pan-seared salmon with lemon and herb couscous, and lamb rump.According to the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, the $195,400 catering bill alone could pay for a family of four to eat steak dinners with wine and dessert at The Keg once a month for 50 years.The organization also noted the bill could cover grocery costs for a Canadian family for more than a decade.“Carney has repeatedly told Canadians he would spend less, but he spent more money on airplane food than Trudeau,” Terrazzano said. “The prime minister shouldn’t need a focus group to recommend him to stop billing taxpayers half-a-million dollars on airplane food in one year.”Government records released through two separate order paper questions show Carney and his entourage have billed taxpayers a total of $524,000 for airplane food since he became prime minister.

Records show Carney spent more than Trudeau on luxury in-flight meals

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