OTTAWA – Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is keeping two nannies on staff but won’t be spending any more money than his Conservative predecessor, his office says.
A Prime Minister’s Office spokeswoman says Trudeau will keep the same number of full-time household staff – six – as former Conservative prime minister Stephen Harper.
“The Prime Minister will not expand the household staff of the Prime Minister’s residence. He will be adapting the staff complement to suit his family’s requirements, given he is the proud father of three young children,” Kate Purchase said in an email.
“It is an ongoing process and will be finalized in the coming days.”
READ MORE: Opposition parties take aim at Trudeau for taxpayer-funded caregivers
It is not immediately known what the household budget is, but Trudeau will be living at nearby Rideau Cottage with his wife Sophie Gregoire-Trudeau and his three children while 24 Sussex Dr. is under repair.
On Tuesday, Conservative interim Leader Rona Ambrose called on Trudeau to pay for the nannies himself after it was revealed two women with childcare duties are now being paid for by taxpayers.
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“I think the right thing to do would be for his family to just pay that himself,” Ambrose said.
Ambrose: Trudeau family should pay for nannies themselves
Throughout the election campaign, Trudeau criticized the Conservative government’s Universal Child Care Benefit, a taxable payment sent to parents to help pay for child-rearing needs.
However, Trudeau said he would cancel such payments for wealthy parents such as himself and Harper, and give more to low-income and single parent families under his government’s Canada Child Benefit.
“Families like his and mine don’t need that tax cut, and Canada can’t afford it,” Trudeau said last January.
The two women were recently hired as “special assistants,” making between $15 and $20 an hour, and $11 to $13 overnight. One was spotted at Trudeau’s swearing-in last month, and on his recent trip to the climate change summit in Paris.
Trudeau spokesperson defends use of taxpayer money to pay for nannies for PM’s kids
Trudeau’s office says the two women perform additional duties around the house and act as “secondary caregivers” to the three young children.
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