The extravagance, arrogance, and disregard for basic ethics among Trudeau and his inner circle seem to only strengthen with the passing of the seasons. They know it, many Canadians know it, and yet nothing ever changes. No one is held accountable, and the Liberal elites continue to hold onto and abuse the power provided to them. Photo credit: CBC News
Can you hear that endless laughter from behind the closed doors of the Prime Minister’s Office? If anything, the past few weeks have proven that PM Justin Trudeau and his political operatives take Canadians for fools. Their audacious announcements and admissions are outrageous.
“Canadians won’t criticize a former GG, your friend David, to provide his thoughts on China.”
In response to Canadians’ call for an independent public inquiry into the revelations about the undue influences of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in Canada, the PM hand-picked a longtime family friend to serve as his “special rapporteur” and provide his government counsel on possible next steps – counsel Trudeau signals will not be forthcoming until the end of May.
Former Governor General David Johnston is as unfit to counsel on China relations with Canada (and with the Trudeau family) as Morris Rosenberg was in counselling on foreign interference in the 2021 election. Both were members of the Trudeau Foundation (Rosenberg was the Chairman!) when that organization was advising CCP-connected Chinese donors on how to deposit hundreds of thousands of dollars into its coffers.
With a deep-seeded affection for China, Johnston is inarguably biased. During his time as University of Waterloo president he championed Canada-China universities exchange programs and established the Confucius Institute, an organization that has been exposed as an agent of CCP propaganda and espionage operations. For his close relations with the Chinese establishment, he has been given an honorary doctorate by Nanjing University and has been feted at many ceremonies in China. Also, three of Johnston’s daughters attended university in China.
Most obscene in this rapporteur appointment is the fact that the Trudeau family and the Johnstons are close family friends, growing up as neighbours in Laurentian cottage country. Canada’s former GG has recounted fond memories of Pierre-Elliot and him visiting dockside in their Adirondack chairs while young Justin romped around with the Johnston kids.
“Who cares about ethics in government? The appointment won’t last a 24-hour news cycle.”
Last week, MP Michael Barrett revealed that a close relative of a senior cabinet minister had been named the head of the government’s ethics commission. Martine Richard is the sister-in-law of Minister Dominic LeBlanc and now oversees the body that rules on conflict-of-interest laws. This is the same commission that, in the past few years, has found PM Justin Trudeau and his cabinet ministers guilty of conflict-of-interest on multiple occasions.
Ironically Dominic LeBlanc has recently been found guilty of an ethics violation in awarding a government contract to a cousin of his wife (who, as it is, is related through marriage to the new commissioner!).
This blatant nepotism was met with cynical quips by many in the press corps. Veteran Globe and Mail columnist Andrew Coyne tweeted “They are just trolling us now…”. Alex Pierson, Toronto talk radio host tweeted, “They don’t even pretend anymore.” Political commentator Spencer Fernando observed, “They’re laughing at us now. Total contempt for the Canadian People.”
In a follow-up editorial Fernando reflects on Canadians’ ambivalence to what is transpiring in Ottawa and what that has meant for the Trudeau Liberals. He wrote: “Each time they’ve gotten away with a scandal and remained in power, they’ve only become more emboldened. Rather than be grateful for having survived politically, the Liberals seem to think they can get away with anything and continue to push the bounds of unethical behaviour… That kind of entitled attitude is not only disgraceful, but it’s also dangerous because of how deeply anti-democratic it is.”
As a matter of fact, the PM defends the appointment saying that Martine Richard was originally hired years ago by former PM (and Liberal bogeyman) Stephen Harper.
“We’re saving the planet. Besides Canadians won’t notice… it’s just like boiling the frog!”
On April 1, the government increased the carbon tax again, adding a few cents per litre to gasoline and heating fuel. This hike is Trudeau’s “price on pollution” that will have Canadians paying 37 cents tax per litre at the pumps in 2030. The schedule of gradual tax hikes keep Canadians as content as frogs in warming water when it comes to the economic impact of the carbon tax.
The false promises of the carbon tax scheme were that the tax would be revenue neutral and it would force down emissions. It is becoming evident that it does neither. Canada’s emissions levels are not being reduced. And the government’s long-standing claim that this tax is refunded in full to Canadians is now debunked. On a recent CTV interview, Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault admits that Canadians are not being rebated as much as they are paying in carbon tax, “If you do the average, yeah, it’s true, it’s going to cost more money to people…”
The Parliamentary Budget Office claims that families will pay $710 more in carbon tax this year above what they will receive back in their rebate. The Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) states families’ next loss is more than that: $847 over and above the rebates. The CTF has also done the GST math and factors that in 2030, the government will have a $924 million windfall in GST applied on the carbon tax.
Having exposed the government’s disinformation on one of the fundamental underpinnings of its carbon tax regime, the question is whether Canadians will become wary of just how hot their situation will get by 2030 when the full schedule of carbon tax hikes is implemented on gas prices, utilities, and all goods and services.
“Who’s keeping track anyways? We’ll just pass it off as an unfair partisan attack.”
At a time when a growing number of Canadians are having financial difficulty and are rocked with inflation and rising food prices, the reports out of Ottawa of the PM’s tone-deaf extravagance are “Marie Antoinette-esque.” Here is a glimpse of the lavishness of Trudeau’s lifestyle these days:
- It was finally admitted that Justin and Sophie were the occupants who stayed six nights in the $8,000/night Corinthia London hotel suite (8K is in Canadian dollars, factoring the exchange rate).
- The PM’s Christmas holiday in Jamaica this year cost taxpayers more than $160,000.
- The PM was flying on 20 of 31 days in July 2022, logging 26,238 kilometres all in Canada, including a 5,500 km Ottawa-Calgary flight to spend six hours at a Liberal rally at the Stampede.
- In the last 30 days, the PM had 17 flights and 10 of those were under an hour.
- It is costing $20,000 per month to maintain the Trudeau’s lakeside cottage at Harrington Lake. This is the same cottage that the Trudeau’s oversaw a $735,000 kitchen renovation.
Is this not all outrageous – from the denial of the crisis the CCP’s activities in Canada pose, to the carbon tax charade, to a dozen other inexplicable news stories from Ottawa? Canadians are entranced with bread and circuses while Trudeau and his politicos enjoy the entitlements of office.
It has to be a merry band behind those PMO doors, smirking and guffawing at us.
Chris George is an advocate, government relations advisor, and writer/copy editor. As president of a public relations firm established in 1994, Chris provides discreet counsel, tactical advice and management skills to CEOs/Presidents, Boards of Directors and senior executive teams in executing public and government relations campaigns and managing issues. Prior to this PR/GR career, Chris spent seven years on Parliament Hill on staffs of Cabinet Ministers and MPs. He has served in senior campaign positions for electoral and advocacy campaigns at every level of government. Today, Chris resides in Almonte, Ontario where he and his wife manage www.cgacommunications.com. Contact Chris at chrisg.george@gmail.com.
