Never mind the brownface or obstruction of justice, Justin Trudeau has found himself in the sweetest of controversies – a doughnut one.
A photo of the Prime Minister shopping at a Winnipeg-based bakery called Oh Doughnuts has had critics accusing him of being a spendthrift.
Trudeau on Monday posted a photo of himself buying seven boxes of donuts for members of his Liberal government, who came to Winnipeg for a three-day retreat this week to discuss how to push their priorities through a parliament where they now have a minority.
“Picked up some of Winnipeg’s best to keep us going through another full day of Cabinet meetings. Thanks for the fuel, @OhDoughnuts,” Trudeau wrote.
Picked up some of Winnipeg’s best to keep us going through another full day of Cabinet meetings. Thanks for the fuel, @OhDoughnuts. #shoplocal pic.twitter.com/9vrgWnUdxo
— Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) January 20, 2020
And while some praised him for buying local, others couldn’t help but pounce on the prime minister for splashing taxpayer dollars on a purchase they said was way too expensive. According to Oh Doughnuts’ website, the most expensive option, a dozen “specialty doughnuts”, cost CA$47 (over $35 US dollars).
$47 a dozen? Thought sugars were bad.
— CaBird (@Bird5Ca) January 21, 2020
donuts brought to you by the Canadian Taxpayers....
— raisingroosters.politics (@mama_rooster) January 20, 2020
If pushed, I can feed myself for 2 weeks on $47.00.
— themsteri (@teririch) January 21, 2020
Just thought I would give the @liberal_party some perspective.
I remember those kind of "long important" meetings....
— Mark Schmalz 🇨🇦 (@mark_schmalz) January 20, 2020
We normally sent the new guy, or the least useful guy, to go get the coffee and doughnuts while we worked.
Seems like nothing has changed...
I don’t see doughnuts as part of the new Canada food guide you pushed down our throats just a few months ago?
— Carin Danley (@nimmity_anna) January 20, 2020
Did you use your own credit card for this? pic.twitter.com/BZvanmV04I
Never one to shy away from a staged photo opportunity, Justin Trudeau shows how hard he is working for Canadians by picking up donuts. Besides, its too cold in Winnipeg to roll up his sleeves.
— Fuddle Duddle (@noidlegovnomore) January 20, 2020
Oh Doughnuts owner Amanda Kinden said Trudeau’s visit was completely unexpected.
“I just received an email on Sunday for an order, which I responded normally to,” she told local radio station 680 CJOB. “They ended up placing an order on the website, so it was sort of out of my hands, and then I got a message from the staff Monday morning that it was for Justin Trudeau.”
“We had no idea he was coming. It was a dark, cold Monday morning, and one of his staffers opened the door and he walked in first.”
Kinden added that the tweetstorm was “a lot of fun” and that Trudeau’s critics went out of their way to find the most expensive option on her shop’s website.
“All of our doughnuts aren’t $47 a dozen. Those are our most elaborate, fancy doughnuts… which they didn’t get. They just got regular variety doughnuts.”
And the PM has apparently saved 10 percent by ordering online.
