OTTAWA — As Prime Minister Mark Carney lands in Paris for another overseas trip, newly released documents reveal that the Department of National Defence spent nearly $1 million on in-flight catering aboard CANFORCE ONE during his first 12 months in office. However, questions persist about the accuracy of these numbers.
DND Reports $962,633.24 on Catering
In response to an order paper question filed by Conservative MP Scot Davidson, DND stated they spent $962,633.24 across 14 trips between March 2025 and March 2026. This represents an 83% increase from earlier figures, but the numbers do not align with official invoices previously obtained by the Toronto Sun.
Highest Catering Costs
The most expensive catering occurred during Carney's January 13-22 trip to Beijing, Qatar, and Switzerland, costing $175,248.48 for 73 passengers — an average of $2,400 per person. The November trade mission to the UAE and G20 Summit in South Africa cost $159,781.24 for 56 passengers, averaging $2,853.23 each.
Other significant costs include:
- $98,853.99 for the late February trip to India, Australia, and Japan (92 passengers)
- $93,780.18 for Pope Leo XIV's inaugural mass in May (68 passengers)
- $86,096.12 for the March 2026 Canada-Nordic Summit in Norway (64 passengers)
- $74,986.89 for the October 2025 trip to Singapore (63 passengers)
DND noted that catering costs are recorded as gross amounts per flight leg and do not reflect any reimbursements, adding that costs remain provisional until full reconciliation.
Discrepancies with Invoices
These figures contradict invoices obtained by the Toronto Sun. For the March 2025 London trip, invoices showed £28,291 (nearly $53,000) spent on meals like grilled chicken, salmon, and beef stroganoff, but DND reported only $40,034.52. For the May 2025 Rome trip, invoices totaled $99,503.53, while DND claimed $93,780. The June 2025 Brussels flight costs were closer, with DND reporting $48,949.88 versus invoices of just over $49,000.
DND declined to provide itemized costs, stating records don't capture meals by individual menu items. However, access-to-information documents included detailed menus and wine lists from 437 Transport Squadron.
Political Reaction
Tory Finance Critic Jasraj Singh Hallan criticized the spending, noting that despite 14 international trips, no new trade agreements were negotiated. “Taxpayers were charged $962,633.24 in Carney’s first year alone — enough to feed a family of four for almost 55 years,” he said.
