Trudeau and family head to British Columbia for vacation in unnamed location

CITYnews halifax / By The Canadian Press

OTTAWA — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will head to British Columbia on Sunday, where he will be on vacation with his family until Aug. 1.

A government official says the Prime Minister’s Office is not disclosing the specific location for security reasons.

Spokesman Mohammad Hussain says in an email that Trudeau travels on government aircraft as required, and will reimburse the equivalent of a commercial airline ticket for himself and his family.

Hussain says Trudeau will also pay for his family’s stay.

The PMO has consulted with the Ethics Commissioner’s office about the trip.

Trudeau and his family vacationed in B.C. last summer and in Costa Rica in the summer of 2022.

Trudeau was found to have violated conflict-of-interest rules in 2016 when he took a vacation to the Aga Khan’s private island in the Bahamas, and his office has said he consults the ethics commissioner ahead of personal travel plans to ensure they comply with guidelines.

The Conflict of Interest Act allows politicians to accept gifts and other advantages only from relatives or family friends with whom they have a well-documented close bond.

Trudeau’s family holiday in Jamaica last Christmas also generated controversy after his office revised a statement that initially said he and his family would pay for his stay.

They later issued a clarification saying the prime minister and his family had stayed at no cost.

Trudeau said he stayed with friends over that holiday, like most Canadians often do, and that his office followed all the necessary rules.

The federal ethics commissioner, Konrad von Finkenstein, said at the time he would not investigate the trip because his office was satisfied Trudeau was hosted by a close friend.

The prime minister must fly on a Royal Canadian Air Force plane for security reasons, even if it’s for personal travel.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 20, 2024.

The Canadian Press