Trudeau’s Jamaican Getaway Incurs Higher Expenses Compared to Previous Year’s Trip
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s trip to Jamaica last Christmas drew scrutiny as it emerged that Canadian taxpayers footed a significantly higher bill compared to his previous visit to the same destination, CBC News can confirm.
In response to inquiries from Conservative House Leader Andrew Scheer, the government disclosed that Trudeau’s 10-day vacation with his family at Prospect Estate near Ocho Rios amounted to $230,442. This marked a substantial 42 percent increase from the $162,000 spent on a similar trip during the Christmas holidays in 2022-23.
Notably, Trudeau’s priciest vacation as prime minister remains his visit to the Aga Khan’s private island in the Bahamas, which incurred costs of $271,000. This excursion led to a ruling that Trudeau had breached ethics rules governing members of Parliament.
Initially, Trudeau’s office asserted that he covered his family’s lodging expenses during their Jamaican excursion, which some estimated to be valued at up to $84,000. However, a subsequent clarification revealed that Trudeau enjoyed complimentary accommodation at a resort owned by his longtime family friend, Peter Green.
Trudeau has staunchly defended his holiday in Jamaica, asserting that, akin to many Canadian families, they opted for a vacation during the festive season and stayed with friends, all while adhering to the established regulations.
Ethics Commissioner Konrad von Finckenstein confirmed that Trudeau’s office had sought consultation prior to his Jamaican trip. He noted that regulations governing the acceptance of gifts and travel by Members of Parliament include an exception for offerings extended by friends or family members.
“What we have here is clearly a generous gift between people who are friends and I don’t see why, just because they are well off, they can’t exchange gifts,” von Finckenstein told members of the House of Commons ethics committee in January during a hearing on the trip.
As per the documents presented in the House, the primary expenditure for this year’s Jamaican expedition was attributed to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) officers who accompanied the Trudeau family.
While the RCMP disclosed that the trip incurred a cost of $162,051 for the police service, excluding officers’ regular salaries, they refrained from providing a detailed breakdown or confirming whether their officers paid for accommodations at the resort owned by the Trudeau family friend.
This year’s Jamaica voyage also garnered attention due to an incident involving a Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) plane, which encountered mechanical issues en route to the Caribbean island. Consequently, the CAF dispatched a second plane with a crew to rectify the problem.
In adherence to security protocols, like all prime ministers, Trudeau is obligated to utilize government aircraft for travel, reimbursing the government for the expense of commercial airfare when journeying for personal reasons.
The records presented in the House reveal that the second plane accounted for $20,835 of the total trip cost to the armed forces, which amounted to $57,553.
Furthermore, these documents highlight that the mechanical issue encountered by the plane was attributed to a malfunctioning Integrated Standby Instrument (ISI), utilized as an alternative source for flight and navigation data. Retired lieutenant-colonel Dean Black emphasized the criticality of this component, stating that it would have necessitated replacement for the safe return of the aircraft to Canada.
Another mechanical complication arose during Trudeau’s transportation to and from the G20 Summit when the C-150 Polaris aircraft was grounded in New Delhi, India, in September 2023.
Additionally, the Privy Council Office (PCO), responsible for ensuring the prime minister’s access to secure communications, incurred expenses related to the trip. The PCO reported that its employee’s 15-day stay in Jamaica amounted to $10,838, including $2,681 for accommodations at an AirBnB.
Moreover, documents obtained from the RCMP under access to information law indicate an incident occurred during Trudeau’s stay in Jamaica.
