Trudeau vacations on Muslim leader's private island

[Rwede]

Trudeau and family were New Year’s guests of the Aga Khan on his private Bahamas island

David Akin | January 6, 2017 4:48 PM ET




OTTAWA – Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, his family and a few friends spent the New Year as the guest of the Aga Khan on the religious leader’s private island in the Bahamas, the National Post has learned.

The Aga Khan, who is the spiritual guide of the world’s 15 million Ismaili Muslims, has been a friend of the Trudeau family for years, beginning with Pierre Trudeau.

“Canada has come to share a close relationship with the Aga Khan and bestowed honorary citizenship on him in 2009,” Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said in a statement issued Dec. 13 on the occasion of the Aga Khan’s 80th birthday. “I am proud to call His Highness both a mentor and friend. He has shown time and time again that no matter our faith, where we were born, what colour is our skin, or what language we speak, we are equal members of this world.

The Aga Khan also has long ties to Canada, including having the distinction of being the only faith leader to ever speak to a joint session of the House of Commons and Senate. He did that in 2014 at the invitation of former prime minister Stephen Harper.

The Aga Khan is also the founder and chairman of the Aga Khan Development Network, one of the world’s largest development networks.


That development network has been a significant recipient of Canadian foreign aid, receiving $310 million for 16 projects since 2004. Most recently, the Trudeau government granted the Aga Khan Development Network $55 million over five years to improve maternal and child health in Afghanistan.



“This is just mind-numbing,” said MP Lisa Raitt, a Conservative who is vying for her party’s leadership. “There are clear rules on lobbying and ethics. Is the PM so arrogant that he thinks he’s “above” them?”


The Aga Khan Foundation Canada is a registered lobbyist and, as a result, is largely prohibited from providing gifts to public office holders like the prime minister. But, in this case, the hospitality was extended by the Aga Khan himself who is not a registered lobbyist.

http://news.nationalpost.com/news/canad ... mas-island

[Hurtlander]

Off topic,

[gman313]

Response to off topic comment removed

[maryjane48]

*removed*

[bernie428]

Trudeau and family were New Year’s guests of the Aga Khan on his private Bahamas island

David Akin | January 6, 2017 4:48 PM ET






The Aga Khan also has long ties to Canada, including having the distinction of being the only faith leader to ever speak to a joint session of the House of Commons and Senate. He did that in 2014 at the invitation of former prime minister Stephen Harper.



http://news.nationalpost.com/news/canad ... mas-island

[bernie428]

From Castanet....and I'll bold what I choose ;-)

Justin Trudeau, his family and a few friends were guests of the Aga Khan over the holidays on the wealthy religious leader's private Bahamian island.

A spokesman for the prime minister, Cameron Ahmad, is confirming a National Post report that the Aga Khan invited the Trudeau family and a few friends to join him on Bell Island.

The Aga Khan is the hereditary spiritual leader of the world's approximately 15 million Ismaili Muslims and a renowned philanthropist.

Ahmad notes that the Aga Khan and Trudeau "have been close family friends for many years."

As required for security purposes, Trudeau and his family flew to Nassau on a government Challenger jet; Ahmad says no friends were aboard.

He says Trudeau will reimburse the cost of the airfare for himself and his family to and from Nassau.

The Aga Khan founded one of the world's largest development agencies, the Aga Khan Development Network, dedicated to enhancing progress in under-developed regions of the world.

In 2009, then-prime minister Stephen Harper bestowed honorary citizenship on the Aga Khan.

[flamingfingers]

I have Muslim as extended family. I have friends who are Muslim. I know many Muslims who have Christian friends and I have friends who have Muslim friends. Why can't Trudeau and family have friends/acquaintances who are Muslim?

Do we really need more of this kind of unnecessary and paranoid 'fearmongering'?

[Queen K]

*removed*

[Gone_Fishin]

Give me $55 million, and you can hang at my private island for a couple of weeks. Couldn't Justin find a cheaper vacation on Expedia like the rest of us?

[Queen K]

I've never used Expedia for anything, just knew where I wanted to be and did research on it.

But why should he have to?

[Gone_Fishin]

I've never used Expedia for anything, just knew where I wanted to be and did research on it.

But why should he have to?

He could save the taxpayers about $54,995,000 if he did. That's why. But he doesn't care what it costs to curry favours with his elitist friends.

[Queen K]

*removed*

[Hurtlander]

He could save the taxpayers about $54,995,000 if he did. That's why. But he doesn't care what it costs to curry favours with his elitist friends.

According to the link posted above, $55,000,000.00 was for maternal and child health in Afghanistan. Not sure where you pulled that $54,995,000 vacation expense number from, but you might want to wash your hands.

[Gone_Fishin]

According to the link posted above, $55,000,000.00 was for maternal and child health in Afghanistan. Not sure where you pulled that $54,995,000 vacation expense number from, but you might want to wash your hands.

If Christy Clark were vacationing at the private home of someone to whom she had granted a $55 million favour, you'd be having a stroke. Apparently her fellow Liberal Trudeau gets a free pass. I know you can see the link between the money and favours, but it's your failure to admit there's a stink that is so vexing.

[Hurtlander]

If Christy Clark were vacationing at the private home of someone to whom she had granted a $55 million favour, you'd be having a stroke. Apparently her fellow Liberal Trudeau gets a free pass. I know you can see the link between the money and favours, but it's your failure to admit there's a stink that is so vexing.

And yet when I did have my stroke, for some incomprehensible reason, you'd find some ridiculous excuse to defend Christy..