Canadian PM Justin Trudeau's In-flight Bar Tabs Under Scrutiny After Data Reveals Hefty Bills

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's 2020 visit to Ethiopia has come under scrutiny after government records revealed that alcohol consumption on the VIP aircraft had an in-flight bar tab of $1,414.81.

According to reports, the PM's six-stop tour of Europe and Africa in February 2020 shows that the 50-odd passengers aboard Can Force One consumed 95 bottles of wine and 93 cans of beer.

Al Jazeera

The in-flight bar did brisk business during Prime Minister Justin Trudeau¡¯s 2020 visit to Ethiopia, government records show. The data did not mention the size of the bottles and cans.

Can Force One is a government-owned Airbus used for VIP travel. The data was released from Global Affairs Canada - the trip's stops included Spain, Senegal, and Greece, and the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa.

Even two other Can Force One flights show - the PM's trip from June 4 to 7 to trip for the 75th anniversary of D-Day and June 26 to 29 visit to Osaka for the G20 Summit, both saw in-flight bar tabs exceeding $800.

The Europe trip's total was $845.80 spent on 43 bottles of wine and 35 cans of beer, and the Japan flight summed up to $843.76 on 57 bottles of wine and 35 cans of beer.

Data also revealed that PM Trudeau's August 23 to 26 2021 flight to attend the G7 Leaders¡¯ Summit in Biarritz, France saw $615.33 spent on 34 bottles of wine and 21 cans of beer.

Global Affairs Canada

Government policy does not allow Canadian prime ministers from using commercial airlines, and travel for VIPs and senior government officials is provided by the Royal Canadian Air Force. The prime minister is accompanied by staff as well as reporters.

Only three trips listed in-flight bar tab totals that were under $100. While members of the Parliamentary Press Gallery frequently accompany the prime minister on overseas flights, reporters don¡¯t travel on Can Force One for free.

In a note added to the release by the Global Affairs department, news outlets are charged a flat flee ¡ª often in the thousands of dollars ¡ª which includes ¡°all services associated with flights on the Prime Minister¡¯s plane¡­including any beverages they may consume.¡±

Franco Terrazzano, Federal Director of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation said, ¡°Taxpayers have every right to feel disrespected when they find out more than $3,100 per person was spent on in-flight catering."

¡°This huge waste of money shows it¡¯s long past time for the government to stick up for taxpayers and end the office of the governor general¡¯s frivolous spending.¡±

The Canadian Press

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