Prime Minister Justin Trudeau provided evasive and out-of-touch responses over his recent lavish vacation in Jamaica, initially claimed as self-funded but later revealed as a complimentary trip.

The Globe and Mail’s Marieke Walsh confronted Trudeau about the misstep on Tuesday morning, seeking an explanation for his extravagant getaway against the backdrop of Canada’s challenging economic landscape.

Trudeau’s initial assertion that he personally covered the vacation expenses was later unraveled after a National Post report. 

When asked to consider the public perception of such a luxury vacation valued at around $90,000 while Canadians are dealing with tough economic times, the PM said he did nothing different than what anyone else does.

“Like many Canadians did, I stayed with friends over the holidays,” he said. 

Walsh’s follow-up re-emphasized the inaccessibility of such an expensive holiday for the average Canadian. However, Trudeau simply repeated his original response.

Ethics Commissioner to testify

Trudeau received ethics approval for his trip, which raised scrutiny from the Opposition Conservatives. A House of Commons committee, in a unanimous decision, decided last week to invite the Ethics Commissioner to clarify the rules governing travel, vacations, and gifts.

The motion, which received cross-party support, will see Konrad von Finckenstein being asked to testify. Notably, Liberal MPs managed to amend the motion to exclude a direct mention of Trudeau’s vacation.

Canadians’ approval of Trudeau at all time low

Trudeau’s free luxury vacation appears to have cost him in the polls. Recent Abacus Data survey shows his net favourability is at an all time low.

A whopping 59% of the poll’s respondents said they have a negative impression of Trudeau. 25% indicated they have a positive impression of him.