Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has seven photo ops planned for Thursday, as he continues his European meetings with world leaders to discuss future steps in the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
A quick look at Trudeau's itinerary for Thursday shows that he had a photo opportunity at breakfast with the President of Germany, a second while departing for Warsaw, a third while arriving in Warsaw, a fourth while holding a bilateral meeting with Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, a fifth at the start of the meeting with Polish President Andrzej Duda, a sixth at refugee shelter in Poland, another at a second refugee shelter in Poland, and a seventh with US Vice President Kamala Harris.
After Chrystia Freeland was asked by CBC's Travis Dhanraj why Trudeau's meetings could not have been done from Canada, saying that some Canadians were watching from abroad and seeing "a lot of photo ops [and] a lot of broad platitudes, and not many specifics when it comes to details."
Freeland said that she had only heard that criticism from Dhanraj, and continued to say that this was an "important trip" and that it was important for the prime minister to be present "at this critical moment."
Deputy PM @cafreeland & Foreign Affairs Min @melaniejoly clearly did not like my Q— Why is @JustinTrudeau in Europe on the taxpayer dime while there are pressing domestic issues he could be dealing w/ at home…here’s the exchange #cdnpoli pic.twitter.com/nFPNCbe1TE
— Travis Dhanraj (@Travisdhanraj) March 9, 2022