Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his family went on a Jamaican holiday for Christmas, which cost almost $163,000 of taxpayers money, while Trudeau was talking about how inflation was making life “difficult for many Canadians.”. Beach .Cabinet, in an Inquiry of Ministry tabled in the Commons, said taxpayers costs of the one-week family holiday at an undisclosed Jamaican beach property totalled $162,792. .Expenses included $33,677 to have an RCAF flight crew shuttle Trudeau and his family to the Caribbean and remain on standby..“As per longstanding government policy and for security reasons, the prime minister must travel on government aircraft whether he is on official or personal business,” said the Inquiry. .“As was the case with previous prime ministers, when travelling for personal reasons, the prime minister and any guests travelling with him reimburse an equivalent commercial airfare.”.The largest expense was $115,526 for an RCMP security detail to travel with the prime minister. “These amounts do not include regular salary,” said the Inquiry..The figures were tabled at the request of Conservative MP Luc Berthold (Mégantic-L’Erable, QC), who asked “With regard to expenditures related to the prime minister’s trip to Jamaica in December 2022 and January 2023, what were the total costs incurred by the government?”.READ MORE Trudeau stayed at $6,000 per night hotel room for Queen’s funeral.The prime minister, prior to holidaying, repeatedly expressed regret for the “tough times” facing Canadian families due to rising household expenses. .“We know how much this inflation, this global phenomenon, is hurting Canadian families,” Trudeau told the Commons last October 5..“We recognize the holiday season will be difficult for many Canadians with the cost of living tied to global inflation,” Trudeau said last December 14. .“Times are tough.”. Pierre PoilievrePierre Poilievre .“We know Canadians are facing difficult times,” Trudeau repeated. .“Canadians are facing tough times right now, but times would be even tougher if they had followed the advice of the leader of the official opposition.”.After returning from his Jamaica vacation, Trudeau said he had spoken with Canadians who had a bleak Christmas..READ MORE Governor General flew 3,000 km for 6 minutes of work.“Everyone in this House, from conversations with constituents and conversations with people right across the country, knows well that Canadians are facing tough times,” Trudeau told the Commons on January 30..As a backbencher Liberal MP, Trudeau criticized then-prime minister Stephen Harper for not seeing everyday Canadians hardships, according to Blacklock’s Reporter..“Families are struggling to plan for the future, kids are anxious about what their parents are arguing about late into the night as the bills come in,” said Trudeau in 2009..Trudeau as Liberal Party leader in 2013 marvelled at “just how out of touch the Prime Minister is with [the] needs of middle-class Canadians.” .Harper “spent too much time walled off from Canadians,” said Trudeau. .“Does the government not understand that increasing the price of hundreds of basic necessities will be a huge burden for Canadians who are struggling?”
