Canadians Are Accusing Justin Trudeau Of Using $50 Million Taxpayer Dollars To Impress A Celebrity
UPDATE (11:41 AM ET 03/12/18): A government spokesperson has confirmed that the $50 million donation to Trevor Noah's campaign is part of Canada's $400 million pledge to support education for girls, originally announced at the G7 Summit in June 2018.
Justin Trudeau is facing backlash over a tweet he published on Sunday. The tweet was to South African comedian and host of "The Daily Show", Trevor Noah.
Noah hosted the Global Citizen Festival on Sunday, which paid tribute to Nelson Mandela. Noah also launched a fundraiser to improve education in South Africa and announced that he'd personally match the donations.
Trudeau may not have been in attendance at this weekend's festival, but he was clearly determined to make an impact. To make up for his absence, Trudeau made a very generous donation to Noah's campaign on Canada's behalf.
"Hey Trevornoah - thanks for everything you’re doing to celebrate Nelson Mandela’s legacy at the GlblCtzn festival," Trudeau tweeted on Sunday, "Sorry I can’t be with you - but how about Canada pledges $50M to EduCannotWait to support education for women & girls around the world? Work for you? Let’s do it."
While the donation is for a very important cause, thousands of Canadians are not reacting well to the news.
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This doesn’t seem right. Especially when our own back yard is on fire, flooding, blowing up and such. You know what I mean. It feels like our PM is buying front row seats to a comedy club with $50Million of our hard earned $$’s.Really doesn’t seem right...
I am absolutely appalled and ashamed to have you as our Prime Minister, you will surely go down as one of, if not the worst Prime Minister in the history of our country.
Every time I read this tweet I think this can’t be real - someone must have hacked Trudeau’s account. He can’t possibly be this cavalier with our tax dollars with all the issues we are facing, can he??? Justin, you are so gone...
$50M ??? Those are my tax dollars you are spending, this is not a popularity contest. Our veterans are suffering and the western economy is in Crisis. Maybe you should focus on home first before you give $50M to some foreign fund.
Andrew Scheer, Canada's Conservative Leader, wasted no time making a pointed remark about the tweet. "Pledging $50 million in a tweet to impress a TV personality? Taxpayers need a defender not somebody who throws their money around to be popular with celebrities," wrote Scheer, "This is how deficits become massive and permanent."
Trudeau has yet to address or defend his decision to make the donation. But, Noah expressed his enthusiasm about Trudeau's announcement with a bunch of raising hands emojis.
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