Canadian Prime Minister’s In-Flight Catering Costs Spark Controversy
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has been at the center of a growing controversy over the significant amount of public funds spent on in-flight catering during his first year in office. According to reported figures, Carney spent over half a million dollars on food and beverages for 28 flights between March 2025 and February 2026. The data was obtained through parliamentary questions raised in the Canadian House of Commons.
The costs associated with these trips have sparked public debate, particularly as they highlight the high expenses linked to official travel. For instance, during a two-hour flight to Washington DC to meet former US President Donald Trump on May 5, Carney reportedly spent $21,159 on catering. This figure is especially notable given the short duration of the trip.
One of the most expensive trips occurred during a visit to the United Arab Emirates and the G20 summit in Johannesburg, where $158,986.43 was reportedly allocated for catering. A second trip in October saw nearly $16,824.65 spent on in-flight refreshments for 55 delegates on board — an amount that is approximately 11 times higher than the cost of fuel for the journey, according to reports.
Other international visits also incurred substantial costs. A UK trip, where Carney met King Charles and Prime Minister Keir Starmer, came with a bill of $60,268.31, while a Vatican trip for Pope Leo XIV’s inaugural mass cost $93,780.18.
A note from the Department of National Defence accompanying the data stated that catering costs include the price of food, non-alcoholic beverages, and associated fees such as catering handling and delivery, storage, cleaning, and disposal of international waste, airport taxes, administrative fees, security charges, and local taxes.
The Daily Mail has reached out to the Prime Minister’s Office for further comment on the matter.
Franco Terrazzano, director of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, expressed concern over the spending, stating that Carney billed more money for airplane food in one year than an average Canadian family would spend on groceries in about 30 years. He added, “I guess one way to beat the high cost of groceries in Canada is to take government work trips and bill taxpayers for expensive airplane food.”
According to Canada’s 2026 Food Price Report, the average cost of groceries for a family of four over a year is $17,571.79. This figure contrasts sharply with the amounts spent on in-flight catering.
Carney’s first year as Canada’s leader has been marked by a contentious relationship with Trump. The former US president reignited trade war fears in a Truth Social post in February, claiming “Canada has treated the United States very unfairly for decades.” Carney had previously apologized to Trump over an anti-tariff TV advertisement that included remarks made by former US President Ronald Reagan.
Trump was so angered by the ad, which aired in the US, that he increased tariffs on Canada and halted US-Canada trade talks. During a speech at an Asia-Pacific summit in South Korea, Carney admitted to apologizing privately to Trump at a dinner hosted by South Korea’s president the week prior.
Carney, who succeeded Justin Trudeau in March last year, ran a campaign that often challenged Trump, particularly opposing his stance on tariffs and his suggestion that Canada might one day become the 51st state of the US. Since taking office, Carney has focused on reducing Canada’s reliance on the US and strengthening ties with other nations, including South Africa, China, and India.
