Justin Trudeau billing taxpayers for nannies is 'hypocritical,' Lisa Raitt says

Conservative finance critic Lisa Raitt says it is "hypocritical" for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to bill taxpayers for nannies after he spent the last campaign telling voters he didn't need the Tory child tax benefit because he had more than enough money to support his children.

CBC News reported Monday thattaxpayers are paying the wages of two nannies who care for the children ofTrudeauand his wife,SophieGrgoire-Trudeau.Thehiringswere approved late last week,with cabinetauthorizingthe appointment of thetwo women under the Official Residences Act as "special assistants" at the prime minister's residence.

Kate Purchase, director of communications in the prime minister's office, told CBC Newsthe Trudeaus employ "two household employees who, in addition to performing other duties around the house, act as secondary caregivers" to the couple's three children.

Opposition says Trudeau should pay for nannies out of his own pocket

9 years ago

Duration 1:18

Conservative Finance Critic Lisa Raitt says she paid for her kids childcare when she was a minister in the Harper government

In an interview with CBC News Tuesday, Raitt saidduring the campaign Trudeausaid "he is one of the one per cent and he was speaking on behalf of them when he said 'we think we can pay a little bit more, I'm going to reject personally the Universal Child Care Benefit.'"

• Trudeau children's nannies being paid for by taxpayers
• Canadians approve of Trudeau's 1st weeks in office, poll suggests
• Justin Trudeau says work-life balance 'even tougher' for MPs than him

"But then in another guise [he] does accept taxpayer dollarsso that he can care for his kids by the use of two nannies funded by the state. I think that's hypocritical and I think he should take it out of his own salary," Raitt said.

Trudeausaid on the campaign trail that he opposed the Conservativechild benefit plan because it sends"cheques to millionaires," adding that anygovernment plan should help families who need a leg up, "not families like mine or Mr. Harper's."

RaittsaidTrudeau's latest move is a betrayal of thoseprinciples.

"The only man in Canada who makes $325,000 a yearwho is going to get taxpayer dollars for his child care is the prime minister of Canada and I think that's wrong," she said.

The women will earn between $15 and $20 an hour for work during the dayand a lower amount when working at night.

'We still made it work without taxpayer dollars'

Raitt said that the Trudeau familyshould follow the lead of ministers in the previous Conservative government who juggled young families and busy careers by making alternatearrangements and paying out-of-pocket for their child care.

"My kids were 7 and 4when I startedI never used taxpayer dollars in order to look after the needs of my children, that was something that I have to do in order to have a household. We still made it work without taxpayer dollars," Raitt, a former minister in the Harper government, said.

Conservative Interim Leader Rona Ambrose saidTrudeau's nannies have become a "political issue" because he made a point of rejecting the child benefit because of his family's wealth.

Facebook posts raise security concerns

The twonannies in question haveposted a number of pictures of the Trudeau children on their Facebookpages, including some shots from their recent trip to Paris with the prime minister.

While travelling in Europe, one of the nannies also posted the location of the hotels the prime minister and his family were staying at while attending summitsinMalta and Paris.

After CBC News reported on theposts, the woman either removed themor tightened her security settings to obscure the content from public viewing.

"In terms of security, both women went through security clearances and we're very open with what the family is doing when they are with the prime minister," Purchase saidwhen asked about the posts as a potential security risk.

"Beyond that, we don't comment on security considerations."

Prime ministers face 'special situation,' former nanny says

Trudeau is not the first prime minister to have nannies on staff at hisofficial residence.

His father, Pierre Trudeau, employed a nannyto care for his three young boys after he and their mother divorced.

Trudeau billing taxpayers for child care

9 years ago

Duration 7:27

MPs Steve MacKinnon, Lisa Raitt and Guy Caron discuss taxpayers footing the bill for the Trudeau children's nannies

Isabelle LeCointee, who was the Trudeau family nanny from 1981 to 1984, said she doesn't have a problem with the current arrangement.

"I don't think we can compare the situation of the prime minister andeveryone's family," LeCointee said in an interview with Alan Neal onCBC Radio'sAll in a Day."I can understand people thinking that it's our money, like it's my money too.But at the same time, I think it's aspecial situation. Wehave to take that into consideration, too."

Progressive Conservative Prime Minister Brian Mulroneyalso had a nanny on staff.

Mulroneyfaced controversy after he pledged to personally pay for the nanny, but later reneged on that promise and had the government foot the bill.

Mulroney is asked 'Are we going to have to pay for your nannies?'

9 years ago

Duration 1:46

Former Conservative Leader Brian Mulroney is asked on April 30, 1984 if the taxpayer will pay for his nannies; he said no, but government ended up footing the bill anyway.

His then-chief of staff, Fred Doucet, defended the move, saying thatthe woman was actually a maid who "interfaces with the children in a habitual way."

LaureenHarper, the wife of the former prime minister, left her career behind to become a stay-at-home momafter her husband was elected.

In a 2007 interview, Harper said she didn't hire a nanny,she makes herkids' lunches and that they arejust an "average Canadian family."