Planes, heat and CERB

The media reported recently that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau boarded the Government of Canada's private Challenger jet to fly to Bermuda to attend the funeral of a family friend.

Reports indicate jet costs approximately $12,000 per hour to operate. The round trip from Ottawa to Bermuda will emit an estimated 62,000 pounds of CO2.

I'm not mentioning these details to criticize the prime minister for attending a personal family friend's funeral. Similarly, I acknowledge this costly method of air travel is as necessary for our current prime minister, as it was for previous prime ministers, due to important security requirements.

That said, many Canadians are similarly compelled to use their furnaces during extremely cold winter months when heating with natural gas or propane to stay warm.

Despite that, unless you heat with home heating oil (which the prime minister exempted from the federal carbon tax), you'll face additional carbon tax costs for heating your home with natural gas or propane. What's more, on April 1, 2025, that carbon tax rate will increase yet again.

So, while Canadians are asked to understand the prime minister's need for a private jet, (Conservatives’) requests as members of the official Opposition that Canadians shouldn't be penalized for heating with natural gas or propane, fall on deaf ears.

The prime minister and his environment minister continue to demand Canadians "do a little more," while seemingly placing no expectations on themselves to change their own behaviour.

This situation mirrors the issues with the former Canada Emergency Response Benefit program. In my riding, some Canadians were later deemed ineligible for CERB payments through no fault of their own. Initially told they qualified, those individuals applied, only to be later informed a mistake occurred and they were found ineligible due to a technicality. In those cases, the Canada Revenue Agency demanded repayment of every dollar disbursed.

Some may remember a recent audit of Sustainable Development Technology Canada by the auditor general, found 10 out of 58 examined projects were ineligible. Those 10 projects received $59 million despite failing to meet key requirements outlined in the contribution agreements between the government and the foundation.

That raises an obvious question: Will those companies be required to repay the funds they were not eligible for? The Liberal government refuses to provide an answer, and so far, there have been no reports of any clawbacks.

This is part of an ongoing trend I've observed. The government asks Canadians to do, or pay, a little more, while the prime minister and cabinet show no leadership by example.

My question this week:

Is it acceptable for the Liberal government to maintain a double standard—demanding actions from Canadians that its own leadership fails to demonstrate? Why or why not?

I can be reached at Dan.Albas@parl.gc.ca or call toll free 1-800-665-8711.

Dan Albas is the Conservative MP for Central Okanagan-Similkameen-Nicola.

This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.