“I’m rich. I don’t need the universal child care benefit, I’ll give it away to charity and wealthy families like me don’t need it'”. And in the shadow of the Pierre Trudeau years, incoming prime minister Brian Mulroney – in an effort to show he was not on the public dole like his predecessor – emphatically stated that Canadians would never have to pay for nannies for his children.
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“I just think he should pay for it himself”, Ambrose said in an interview. “He will be adapting the staff complement to suit his family’s requirements, given he is the proud father of three young children”, Kate Purchase said in an email. Purchase said Trudeau will not expand the staff of the prime minister’s residence.
It’s not so much Opposition criticism that should concern the prime minister – the Trudeaus should be entitled to the support they require to perform their roles as Canada’s first family, and these politicians are aware of that, even if they don’t pay it lip service.
Aaron Wudrick, the federal director of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, says he doesn’t think taxpayers need to be concerned if there is no additional cost.
As a result, said interim Conservative leader Rona Ambrose, he ought to be footing his own child care bills.
Meanwhile, New Democrat MP Sheila Malcolmson is riled by the fact the prime minister is only paying his nannies $15 to $20 per hour during the day, and $11 to $13 at night.
For its part, the Association of Caregiver and Nanny Agencies Canada says Trudeau’s caregivers are “absolutely” receiving the average rate.
Speaking on CTV’s News Channel on Wednesday, Lecointe said Trudeau “deserves to have employees paid by the government to take care of his family while on duty”.
“Like all families of prime ministers, a small number of staff provide assistance”. But all things considered, the hiring of a nanny to take care of the prime minister’s children should be a heck of a lot easier to defend than a $16 glass of orange juice.
Brian Mulroney had staff who looked after his young family and no one kicked up a fuss about it back then.
Security issues are another consideration, she added.
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Reflecting on her own time at 24 Sussex, Lecointe said it was a “demanding job”, but that she felt like the boys’ mother at times. “I’m glad now actually to see that there’s more than one person because you can’t be (there) all week and weekend”.
