MP Thomas critical of Trudeau’s carbon footprint

By Erika Mathieu SOUTHERN ALBERTA NEWSPAPERS on January 12, 2023.

LETHBRIDGE HERALDssnews@sunnysouthnews.com

Lethbridge MP Rachael Thomas did not mince words in a recent interview with commenting on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s own emissions footprint, as the carbon tax is set to increase threefold in the next five years.

Previously, Thomas called the carbon tax, “punitive towards Canadians,” and suggested implementing a federal carbon tax as a means to mitigate emissions appeared incongruent with the Prime Minister’s actions, referring to his use of private jet travel, for work as well as for leisure.

“The Prime Minister and his cabinet flew all over the world this year,” to various climate and economic conferences, said Thomas. “A surfing trip, a family vacation; all these things contribute to carbon emissions,” and added “he is willing to sign off on all of these flights on his private jet either for pleasure or to attend things. He really could just pick one or two (conferences) to attend,” and said virtual attendance to some of the important events could be a viable option.

The National Post reported in 2022 that Trudeau had flown 127,147 km between June 2021 and April 2022, roughly equivalent to three trips around the Earth. Assuming this was all private air travel, Trudeau’s carbon footprint alone over approximately 90 days in 2022 emitted 240 metric tons of carbon dioxide.

Inclusive of all services and transport (not including air travel), the estimated carbon footprint of a couple living in a 1000 square foot home with heavy utility use and two cars equated to 14.5 metric tons of CO2 per person, per year.

Thomas said, “Canadians are sick of the Prime Minister telling them to do one thing, while he does another.”

Thomas was also critical of expenditures for Canada’s official delegation to the late Queen Elizabeth’s funeral in London. The cost was previously reported by the Toronto Sun to be just shy of $400,000 in hotel rooms alone.

“They spent $6,000 on one hotel, for one night; $6,000 is a lot of money, and meanwhile you have Canadians who are struggling just to buy a bag of groceries and take care of their family.”

“We know that one in five Canadians are missing meals in order to make needs. We know that food banks are being frequented more than ever before. We know that more than 50 per cent of Canadians are living paycheque to paycheque and finding that incredibly challenging. We know that about 70 per cent of Canadians are worried about job stability right now.”

She added these rising costs brought on by taxation are being passed on to consumers.

“Farmers are paying hundreds of thousands of dollars for one operation; just in carbon tax alone, in order to be able to heat their barns or run their equipment. This is having a huge impact on Canadians, no matter who they are, or what, their way of life is.”