In a heated political showdown, Canadian Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland finds herself embroiled in controversy over her transportation methods, with Conservative MP Melissa Lantsman accusing her of peddling “blatant misinformation.” The battle between the two deputies took center stage on social media, with both sides exchanging verbal blows.
The dispute began when Freeland asserted that she does not own a car and primarily relies on public transit for her transportation needs. However, an investigation by Blacklock’s Reporter contradicted this claim, revealing that chauffeur-driven cars were used for official purposes.
Lantsman wasted no time in calling out Freeland’s alleged hypocrisy, pointing to expense records that showed Freeland had used a chauffeured car 11 times in the past two years for “meetings and events” in Toronto. Freeland, in response, vehemently denied these allegations and accused Lantsman of spreading misinformation.
The records from Blacklock’s Reporter and documents obtained through Access to Information suggested that Freeland had indeed used government cars for official purposes on several occasions, although her office insisted she did not have a driver in Toronto and instead relied on a bicycle and taxis.
“Ms. Freeland does not have a driver in Toronto,” said Jessica Eritou, a spokesperson for the deputy prime minister. “She rides her bicycle to meetings in Toronto and takes a taxi to the airport.”
Eritou also said that “during the COVID-19 pandemic, when air travel and other transportation means were not advisable, Ms. Freeland did use a government car to drive her directly from Toronto to Ottawa, for work, on some occasions. A government car has not been used to drive her around Toronto, as this article falsely states.”
She added that “there are also a select list of times when a government car has driven Ms. Freeland from Toronto to government meetings or announcements, such as in Peterborough, Hamilton, or Kingston.”
Throughout the dispute, Freeland maintained that there was a distinction between her private life and her public role. She argued that while she used public transit for personal reasons, she required a driver and a car for official government duties.
Lantsman, on the other hand, condemned Freeland’s alleged deception, suggesting that it was inappropriate for a public figure to misrepresent her lifestyle while simultaneously advocating for increased taxes.
“Lying about your lifestyle in an effort to empathize with people as you raise taxes is not only tone-deaf, it’s maddening,” Lantsman said.
The controversy comes at a time when Freeland has been actively promoting government initiatives to alleviate the financial burden on Canadians due to rising costs of living and energy inflation. However, the revelation of her transportation practices has overshadowed her messaging and prompted public scrutiny.
Canadians have not forgotten that in November last year, Freeland also came under scrutiny when she made a comment about canceling her family’s Disney+ subscription to save money as regular Canadian families struggled with the surging cost of living.
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