Trudeau's United Nations hospitality bills revealed
They say the way to a man's heart is through his stomach. It’s always worked for me and I think Justin Trudeau thought it would work for him too.
An order paper return reveals that Trudeau blew through nearly $330,000 trying to wine and dine the world’s dictators and oligarchs into supporting his failed United Nations Security Council bid.
The Security Council bid was equal parts vanity and spite. Trudeau wanted it for his legacy and he wanted it because former Conservative PM Harper didn’t win a Security Council seat either — although, at least Harper made it to the second round of voting!
Trudeau’s ineffective international charm offensive bill was uncovered by Conservative MP for Calgary Centre Greg MacLean who asked Global Affairs Canada:
“With regard to the government’s campaign for United Nations Security Council seat, in 2021: how much has been spent on hospitality-related expenses broken down by date, item or service?”
The response from Global Affairs Canada shows us two things: first is the obvious enormity of the bill.
The second is the increasing desperation as the spending to feed and entertain the UN cronies ramped-up, year-over-year:
“As of May 11th, 2020, $329,016 has been spent on hospitality-related expenses for the UN Security Council campaign since 2017.”
The first year of the campaign, 2016 to 2017, saw relatively low spending, at $24,000. However, the next year spending more than tripled to $77,000. That’s a lot of wine and cheese plates for the world’s biggest human rights offenders!
But 2018 to 2019 saw the largest single-year expenditure at $124,112.
In the return, Global Affairs attempted to explain the expenses away with an excuse that other prospective Security Council seat candidates were doing a lot of glad-handing and banquets, too:
“These expenses reflect standard diplomatic practices and are commensurate with Canada's competitors’ efforts.”
Sheila Gunn Reid
Chief Reporter
Sheila Gunn Reid is the Alberta Bureau Chief for Rebel News and host of the weekly The Gunn Show with Sheila Gunn Reid. She's a mother of three, conservative activist, and the author of best-selling books including Stop Notley.