Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will reimburse taxpayers for part of his and his family’s use of a government jet to fly to a Caribbean resort over the holidays.
Trudeau’s visit to Nevis, a small island that is part of the twin-island Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis, was picked up by local media who reported the prime minister spent 10 days on Nevis with his wife Sophie Gregoire-Trudeau and the couple’s three children, Xavier, Ella-Grace and Hadrien at Paradise Beach Resort.
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The Prime Minister’s Office said in an email Monday, Trudeau will pay the government for the equivalent economy-class flights.
“As per long-standing government policy because of security, the Prime Minister must use one of the RCAF planes for all his air travel, whether on official or personal business,” PMO press secretary Andree-Lyne Halle said.
“When traveling for personal reasons, and as was the case with previous Prime Ministers, Mr. Trudeau and members of his family traveling with him reimburse an economy airfare.”
Trudeau used a Department of National Defence Challenger jet which costs roughly $10,000 per flying hour to operate.
Former prime minister Stephen Harper had also previously reimbursed the government the economy fare-equivalent costs of personal travel with his family.
Halle added that friends who travelled with the Trudeaus paid their own way.
“As for the friends of the Trudeau family who were also present in Nevis, they did not travel on the Challenger but made their own way there,” Halle said in the email.
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