Fred Hutton defends Florida vacation amid potential trade war, N.L. push to buy local
NDP Leader Jim Dinn says cabinet minister's trip is hypocritical as Liberals promote a buy-local campaign
A Liberal cabinet minister from Newfoundland and Labrador is defending his decision to vacation in Florida at a time when his government was launching a buy local campaign and pushing back against threats by U.S. President Donald Trump to impose tariffs on Canadian products.
"It's accurate. I spent a week in the United States," Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Fred Hutton told CBC News this week.
Hutton spent last week in Florida, in the same state where Trump has his primary residence, an estate called Mar-a-Lago.
When asked about his decision to vacation in the U.S. at a time when Trump is threatening a trade war and chirping about making Canada the 51st state, Hutton said this:
"A year ago when this was booked and paid for … nobody could have foreseen what President Trump was gonna do," said Hutton.
While Hutton was in the Sunshine State, Premier Andrew Furey was launching a buy local campaign, saying now is the time to "stand shoulder-to-shoulder and support one another" in the face of Trump's threats.
When asked if he felt uneasy about being stateside while there was so much uncertainty in his home province, Hutton repeated the line that "nobody could have foreseen what President Trump was gonna do."
But he added that "I agree that we should be supporting our local companies. I do it all the time anyhow. Prior to this, prior to President Trump."
Paul Lane cancels Chicago trip
Meanwhile, Trump's threats have led Canadians to unite, and some to cancel their trips to the U.S., including independent MHA Paul Lane, who represents Mount Pearl-Southlands.
Lane had tickets to an AC/DC concert, but said the idea of travelling to the U.S. during this uncertain time left him feeling a little thunderstruck. So he sold the concert tickets and cancelled his travel plans.
"It's important at this troubling time that we stand with our province, that we stand with our country as it relates to the Trump administration," he said, adding that seeing AC/DC would be a "dream concert."
Lane said he would have felt like a hypocrite if he travelled to Chicago in May, but he's not condemning Hutton for his travel.
"Quite frankly, I think that that's between him and his constituents and how they feel about his decision," said Lane.
PC Leader Tony Wakeham is giving Hutton the benefit of the doubt. Wakeham is more upset that the premier attended Trump's inauguration in Washington last month.
"How much did that cost the taxpayers and what was the outcome of that? That's the thing that offends me," said Wakeham.
And if one of his caucus members wanted to travel south?
Wakeham said there would have to be a "conversation with them and find out exactly what was planned and what it was all about."
"My priority would be staying right here in Newfoundland and Labrador and working on the serious issues that we have," he said.
WATCH | Paul Lane says it was his dream to see AC/DC in Chicago, but he just couldn't do it:
NDP Leader Jim Dinn, however, said Hutton should have used better judgment.
"It truly is hypocritical to turn around and say that here's what we expect of the people, but not necessarily for us. And I think that if anything else, that's the kind of stuff that breeds some cynicism about political leaders and politicians," said Dinn, who called Hutton's Florida trip "disappointing."
"It doesn't set a good tone and doesn't set a good leadership example," he added.
In a statement, the premier's office showed support for Hutton, saying his trip was planned long before Trump threatened a trade war on Canada.
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