Concerns have been raised that Canadian taxpayers might be covering the costs of security personnel for former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau during his personal travels with girlfriend Katy Perry. Media reports indicate that Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) officers have accompanied Trudeau on recent trips.
According to a report from the Journal de Montréal, Trudeau, 54, is allegedly utilizing the RCMP as a form of private security for personal and political excursions, even after leaving office last March. His relationship with pop star Katy Perry has kept him in the public eye this year, with the couple reportedly seen together at events like Coachella and on trips throughout Europe, including Greece, Italy, and Switzerland.
During these travels with Perry, Trudeau has allegedly been accompanied by the RCMP. The RCMP has not provided details regarding Trudeau's security arrangements, including costs or the nature of the services. The agency cited 'evolving threat environment and operational and security considerations related to police protection services' as reasons for not disclosing such information, stating that it could reveal or facilitate inferences about protective measures for an individual.
The reports claim that Trudeau requires three to four federal officers for his security detail. These officers' travel, lodging, meals, salaries, and overtime pay would reportedly be borne by taxpayers. Former RCMP deputy commissioner Pierre-Yves Bourduas suggested that Trudeau's personal life could create challenges for the officers and that the RCMP's limited personnel might be strained by these demands.
While Perry has her own security team, Bourduas noted that they have a different mandate and cannot be solely responsible for Trudeau's safety, implying he cannot rely on her detail alone. "He cannot be expected to rely on his girlfriend's detail because Perry's bodyguards had 'a different mandate than that of the former prime minister' and were not fully responsible for him," Bourduas explained.
Trudeau and Perry publicly confirmed their relationship on Instagram in December, following earlier media reports of their romance. Trudeau separated from his wife, Sophie Grégoire, in August 2023 before beginning his relationship with Perry. The couple has since been seen together on various international trips.
This situation draws parallels to the security costs incurred during Trudeau's time as prime minister, which reportedly exceeded $30 million, the highest for any Canadian leader. His father, former Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, was the first former leader to be offered continuous RCMP protection after leaving office, a measure also accepted by subsequent former prime ministers like Brian Mulroney, Jean Chrétien, and Stephen Harper, often due to the potential for ongoing threats.