On Wednesday, Prime Minister Mark Carney’s administration faced criticism in the House of Commons after it was disclosed that his spontaneous journey to Egypt for the Gaza peace summit in October incurred a cost of over $736,466 to Canadian taxpayers.

The opposition, led by Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, highlighted the expense of the trip, drawing a stark contrast with the difficulties Canadians are experiencing due to rising living costs.

“He arranged an $800,000 private flight to Egypt, where he had no substantive role other than to pose for photographs,” Poilievre criticized, labeling Carney as the “Grinch of the grocery store.”

“Why should Canadians have to rely on food banks while he travels the globe for mere photo opportunities?”

As Carney was absent from the House of Commons during question period, it was left to government House leader Steven MacKinnon and Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand to justify Carney’s travels.

Prime Minister Mark Carney is seen with his Spanish and German counterparts in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, in October. (Amr Nabil/The Associated Press)

While MacKinnon asserted that Canadians were proud of Carney’s participation in the summit, Anand emphasized the prime minister’s involvement in efforts aimed at resolving the Gaza conflict.

“The prime minister’s engagement with global leaders to help end the Middle East conflict is of utmost importance,” Anand stated in the House. “He remains actively involved in the peace plan for the region.”

This exchange during question period followed a government response to an order paper question that unveiled additional information about Carney’s flight to Egypt over the Thanksgiving weekend, revealing that the cost of chartering a private jet for him and several aides was more than three times what it would have been if the Royal Canadian Air Force had been available to provide transportation.

The government opted to charter a Bombardier Global 5000 from Chartright Air Group, while the National Defence department estimated that using a government-owned Challenger aircraft would have only cost $198,800.

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre linked the cost of Carney’s foreign trips to the increased use of food banks in Canada. (Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press)

The Bombardier Global 5000 business jet is marketed for its speed, range, and comfort.

The overall expenses for the trip may exceed the $736,466 figure reported by the Privy Council Office when queried about “expenditures related to the flight.”

The Privy Council Office did not furnish a detailed breakdown of that expenditure in its submission to the House. Furthermore, it has yet to respond to a request for clarification made to CBC News regarding whether the total provided included additional costs typically associated with a prime minister’s travel, such as the salaries of accompanying RCMP officers and government staff or hotel expenses.

• World leaders meet in Egypt to discuss post-war Gaza plans amid hostage, prisoner swap

• Trump’s delay at peace summit sparked rare, candid conversation among other leaders on postwar Gaza

Numerous world leaders, including Carney, rushed to the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, after U.S. President Donald Trump extended invitations for a peace summit.

This summit culminated in the signing of a document aimed at officially concluding the war in Gaza.

Attendees included French President Emmanuel Macron, U.K. leader Keir Starmer, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Although Carney’s trip was covered in the media at the time, a government response to a question from Conservative MP Larry Brock has brought new insights into the matter.

The Privy Council Office indicated that Carney made the decision to attend at 8:30 a.m. on October 12, “subject to various checks and confirmations throughout the day.”

By 6:45 p.m., the aircraft departed from Ottawa with Carney, his security detail, and several staff members, arriving the following morning at Sharm El Sheikh International Airport.

Accompanying Carney were his chief of staff Marc-André Blanchard; executive assistant Kaitlin Power; senior advance official Emily Grant; adviser on foreign, defense, and security issues Scott Gilmore; global affairs director Lisa Jorgensen; and videographer Daniel Pereira.

Typically, Canadian media accompany the prime minister on official visits, but Carney did not include any journalists on this occasion.

The plane departed Egypt on October 14 at 8 a.m. and returned to Ottawa at 1:24 p.m. that same day — 42 hours after leaving the capital.

According to the government’s response, meals were only served on the return leg of the flight, which included an American breakfast, flavored yogurt, Caprese salad, and Italian chicken.

Lack of available plane ‘extremely rare’

At that time, much of the discourse regarding the trip revolved around why the air force was unable to provide one of its aircraft and crews typically utilized for the prime minister’s travel. For security reasons, Canadian prime ministers have consistently traveled on government aircraft for years.

In its reply, National Defence stated that it is “extremely rare” for it to be unable to furnish transport for the prime minister, noting, “this is the only instance in recent times where contingencies could not be arranged.”

“In this particular case, most crews were already assigned, and although a Challenger crew was available, the aircraft could not satisfy the itinerary requirements,” it explained. “Additionally, there were insufficient crews for the larger Airbus aircraft as they were deployed on other missions, training, or rest.”

National Defence mentioned that its policy is to maintain one aircraft and crew on a 12-hour notice and another on a 24-hour notice.

PMO says jet was ‘lowest-cost option’

Audrey Champoux, a spokesperson for Carney, explained that the decision to charter the Bombardier jet was influenced by the unique circumstances surrounding the meeting.

“Given that the summit was organized by the United States on an urgent schedule and invitations were issued by the president very close to the departure, the overlap with existing operational commitments rendered a Canadian Armed Forces Airbus flight and its crews unavailable,” Champoux stated in an email on Wednesday.

She added that the ethics commissioner’s office had approved the chartering of an aircraft, and the government chose “the lowest-cost option that complied with all operational and safety standards.”

Champoux emphasized the significance of Carney’s presence at the meeting.

“The Summit for Peace represented the initiation of a new chapter for Israelis, Palestinians, and the global community,” she remarked. “By participating in the Summit for Peace, Canada showcased leadership alongside its allies to reinforce the agreement to conclude the war in Gaza.”

• Trump’s delay at peace summit sparked rare, candid conversation among other leaders on postwar Gaza

Following the summit, a senior official in Carney’s office highlighted the advantages of his attendance during an interview with CBC News.

The unnamed official conveyed that Trump’s delayed arrival prompted an impromptu meeting, allowing leaders, including Carney, to engage in open and direct discussions. They mentioned that the leaders explored how various countries could contribute.

The official noted that Carney advocated for expedited aid delivery to Gaza and informed other leaders that Canada had supplies ready for dispatch.

Green Party Leader Elizabeth May expressed on Wednesday that the meeting was significant for Canada’s involvement. Although she found it surprising that Carney lacked access to a government aircraft, she deemed the cost of chartering a jet as “a small price to pay.”

“We are not a minor player on the world stage,” May asserted. “Canada should play a more prominent role internationally.”