Canada Politics

Seniors’ charity wants Justin Trudeau to return $20,000 he collected for speaking engagement

·Politics Reporter

June 14, 2013 at 4:51 p.m.

Liberal leader Justin Trudeau is being put in an awkward situation.

Trudeau — as has been widely reported — was on the professional public speaking circuit prior to and during his time as MP for Papineau.

Well, now one of his clients wants a refund of $20,000 for a Trudeau-speaking engagement that didn't go as planned.

According to the National Post, the Grace Foundation — a registered charity — held an event featuring Trudeau hoping to raise money for some seniors' homes in St. John.

They sold tickets at $50 a piece but were only able to sell 120 tickets, incurring a loss of $21,000.

Strapped for cash, the charity sent Trudeau a letter in March:

"We are a new foundation attempting to raise badly needed funds for the elderly residents of The Church of St. John and St. Stephen Home. A refund of the fees charged for your speaking engagement to the Grace Foundation would meet our needs and would provide a positive public impression."

The Post reports that Trudeau did send the charity a nice letter but not any money.

The Tories pounced on this story, Friday.

In Question Period, Immigration Minister Jason Kenney asked members of his caucus to put up their hands if they "go to charity events where they give money."

"That is what most Canadians do. Middle class Canadians give money to charities," Kenney said.

"They do not take $20,000 cheques,"

Conservatives were also circulating this email blast on Friday afternoon.

"Despite collecting a $160,000 salary as a Member of Parliament, millionaire Justin Trudeau has collected nearly $300,000 in speaking fees from Canadian charities and not-for-profit organizations," the email said.

"Justin Trudeau's unsuccessful event with the Grace Foundation and his $20,000 speaking fee has forced the Foundation to lay off staff and hurt their ability to help seniors in Saint John.

"Justin Trudeau's decision to take hundreds of thousands of dollars in speaking fees from Canadian charities is just more proof that he does not have the judgement to be Prime Minister. Justin Trudeau is simply in over his head."

Also, on Friday, Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall, said that Trudeau should pay back the $20,000 he took to speak at a literacy conference in his province in April 2012.

"We’re interested in the literacy issue, we want to see it promoted. I’m sure Mr. Trudeau does as well," Wall told Global News.

"That’s why reimbursement in this regard would probably be the right thing to do."

This is an issue that has dogged Trudeau over the past several months.

Both Conservative and NDP MPs have chided him for charging money to charities and school boards for doing something — speaking to Canadians — which is supposed to be "part of the job" as an MP.

And, earlier this week, the NDP proposed a motion asking for an investigation into the use of MPs’ travel allowances to attend paid speaking engagements.

For his part, Trudeau insists that he has never used public funds to attend a private speaking engagement. He also notes that he received clearance from the Federal Ethics Commissioner before moonlighting as a public speaker.

(Photo courtesy of the Canadian Press)

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