Opponents slammed Canada’s Liberal Party leader Justin Trudeau as a hypocrite after it emerged that he was using two aeroplanes as part of his bid for re-election as prime minister.
Trudeau had previously boasted about his climate credentials, stating that the Liberals had purchased carbon offsets for the aeroplane used to transport Trudeau and his team across the country for various events.
This week, Canadian public broadcaster CBC reported that the Liberals were using two aeroplanes: one to transport Trudeau and his entourage and another solely for cargo.
In a press release, the Conservative Party of Canada released photographs of both aircraft along with travel logs, while the French-language leader’s debate was underway.
Trudeau later confirmed the allegations, saying: “It allows us to do more events in more parts of the country and meet more Canadians.”
Conservative leader Andrew Scheer said of the controversy: “I don’t know what types of props or costumes or camping equipment he’s bringing along, but he’s made his choice. If he thinks it’s okay to emit far more emissions than our campaign is emitting, we’re going to hold him to account for his hypocrisy.”
On social media, the Tories lampooned Trudeau, writing: “While Trudeau makes life unaffordable for Canadians with a carbon tax, he’s personally jetting around the country with two high-emitting personal planes. Seriously.”
Tory Alberta candidate Michelle Rempel Garner, who has long criticized the open-door policy of the Trudeau government that led to a recent surge in illegal immigration, also took the opportunity to roast the Liberal leader on social media.
“[For What It’s Worth], as you all know I travel a lot for work. In fact, I’m on the road right now. I can easily survive for ten days with the stuff in a small rollaboard and a backpack. No checked luggage or second plane required. Just sayin…..” she said.
The gaffe is just the latest for Trudeau on the campaign trail and comes just after he met Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg in Montreal for the global strike for climate event.
Trudeau is still reeling from the blackface scandal last month that saw photos and videos released of him wearing blackface on multiple occasions. In one press conference, Trudeau admitted he had no idea how many times he had donned blackface in the past.