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Tab for Trudeau family fashions, including India outfits, not paid by taxpayers

Apr 17, 2018 | 1:14 PM

OTTAWA — The bureaucratic arm of the Prime Minister’s Office says it hasn’t paid a dime for any clothes, shoes or fashion accessories worn by Justin Trudeau or his family since he took office.

In response to a written opposition question, the Privy Council Office says it hasn’t paid for any clothes, shoes, other apparel or fashion accessories for the Trudeaus since November 4, 2015 — a period of time that includes the state visit to India in February where the family’s Bollywood-esque fashions were widely criticized as over the top at best, and cultural appropriation at worst.

In response to separate questions about the trip, Global Affairs Canada says the overall costs of the India trip are still being processed; it doesn’t specifically answer questions about who paid for the clothes worn by the Trudeau family during the trip and where they were purchased.

The PMO said in February that the Trudeaus paid for their clothes and what they didn’t already own was purchased in stores in Trudeau’s Montreal riding, in the Toronto area and in Ottawa.