Monday, December 22, 2025
ADVT 
National

PM stayed in $6k London suite for royal funeral

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 23 Mar, 2023 05:07 PM
  • PM stayed in $6k London suite for royal funeral

OTTAWA - The Prime Minister's Office says Justin Trudeau and his wife, Sophie Grégoire Trudeau, stayed in a $6,000 per night hotel suite while attending the funeral for Queen Elizabeth II.

The stay at the Corinthia London hotel became the subject of public debate last fall when media honed in on the details of the $400,000 trip, after obtaining documents through access-to-information requests.

But Trudeau's office and Global Affairs Canada did not respond to questions last month about who stayed in the expensive river suite, which features a butler service.

Opposition MPs on the government operations committee asked for a copy of all receipts and invoices associated with the trip last month.

The room was booked on Sept. 9, one day after the Queen's death, for Sept. 15 to 20.

In a statement, the Prime Minister's Office says hotel prices surged significantly ahead of the funeral, and many London hotels were sold out as 500 heads of state and their delegations descended on the city.

The hotel's website currently lists the suite at 5,154 British pounds per night, higher than the 4,800 pounds the government was charged in September.

A night in the river suite next month would come out to more than $8,000 at the current exchange rate.

The Prime Minister's Office did not immediately respond to questions about the higher prices and why the government chose this particular hotel.

Documents released through access-to-information requests note that the booking was for a three-bed suite. The hotel's website says it has one king-sized bed but there are "connecting rooms available on request."

In November, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre peppered Trudeau with questions in the House of Commons about who stayed in the suite, but he didn't answer.

"The death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II was a significant event for Canadians. Canada was represented by former prime ministers and governors general to pay their respects to the monarch who oversaw almost half of Canada’s time as an independent country," said a press secretary for Trudeau in a written statement Thursday.

MORE National ARTICLES

VPD investigates after East Van diners robbed at gun-point

VPD investigates after East Van diners robbed at gun-point
Two men with guns entered the restaurant, near Commercial Drive and Kitchener Street, at the height of Sunday brunch. They pointed the weapons at staff and patrons, ordering the victims to hand over cellular phones and other valuables, then fled in a vehicle.

VPD investigates after East Van diners robbed at gun-point

Woman robbed while trying to withdraw money from an East Van ATM over the weekend

Woman robbed while trying to withdraw money from an East Van ATM over the weekend
The 34-year-old victim was attempting to use a bank machine near Broadway and Commercial around 10 p.m. Saturday when she was approached by a stranger who asked for a cigarette. The victim refused, and the man allegedly shoved her against a wall and demanded money.

Woman robbed while trying to withdraw money from an East Van ATM over the weekend

B.C. Premier Eby to share plans for housing crisis

B.C. Premier Eby to share plans for housing crisis
His proposed plan would fast-track affordable housing by speeding approvals, use government land for some projects, make all secondary suites across the province legal and allow homebuilders to replace a single-family house with up to three units on the same lot.  

B.C. Premier Eby to share plans for housing crisis

Help identify suspect in racist graffiti: Surrey RCMP

Help identify suspect in racist graffiti: Surrey RCMP
Frontline officers located similar graffiti on a nearby elementary school while in the area investigating. As well in September 2022, there was a similar incident of graffiti where the same fence and school were vandalized.

Help identify suspect in racist graffiti: Surrey RCMP

Doctors urge families to get influenza vaccine

Doctors urge families to get influenza vaccine
The Canadian Paediatric Society said the advice was even more urgent for families with young kids, as influenza is spreading rapidly, along with surges of COVID-19 and respiratory syncytial virus.

Doctors urge families to get influenza vaccine

Another $1.2 billion for ocean protection: feds

Another $1.2 billion for ocean protection: feds
The funding is part of an extra $2 billion allocated in this year’s federal budget to renew and expand the Oceans Protection Plan over nine years. Among the projects are plans to set up a national system for all marine pollution incidents, which includes preparing for releases of hazardous or noxious substances from ships.

Another $1.2 billion for ocean protection: feds