'Rich' Justin Trudeau should pay for own nannies, Rona Ambrose says

Interim Conservative Leader Rona Ambrose says Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is a rich man who should pay for his own nannies and not saddle taxpayers with the cost of raising his three young children.

"Mr.Trudeaurepeatedly, repeatedly said, 'I am wealthy,' Mr.Trudeausaid, 'My family is rich, we don't need to use taxpayer dollars for our child care.' And now he is," Ambrose told reporters Wednesday after her party's caucus meeting.

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CBC News reported Monday thattaxpayers are paying the wages of two nannies who care for the children ofTrudeauand his wife,SophieGrgoire-Trudeau.Thehiringswere approved late last week,with cabinetauthorizingthe appointment of thetwo women under the Official Residences Act as "special assistants" at the prime minister's residence.

The women will earn between $15 and $20 an hour for work during the dayand a lower amount when working at night.

The sticking point for the Tory leader is thatTrudeaucampaigned on cancelling child-care benefits for wealthy families like his own who he said didn't need the extra money to pay for child care.

Leading up to the Oct. 19 general election,Trudeauvowed to scrap the Conservative government's Universal Child Care Benefit (UCCB) and replace it with a means-tested program his party has since named theCanada Child Benefit, which will offer more generous benefits tofamilies with a combined annual household income of less than $200,000.

Trudeauis entitled to a$3,400 cheque under the Conservative plan, but he has said he'll donate thosefunds to charity.

"He said hewas going to cancel child-care benefits toCanadians ... so peopleare asking the question: Why? Why are you having taxpayers pay for your nannies? You said you're rich, you said you don't need it, so he has to answer that question now," Ambrose said.

The interim leader insisted she isn'tpassing any "judgment" on the Trudeaus, and how they choose to raise their children, rather it's more a matter of respect for taxpayer funds.

"I think a lot of people across the countrytaxpayersare offended that he won'tpay for his own child care."

Trudeauhasalso pledged to hike taxes on the wealthiest Canadians and usher in a "middle-class tax cut," for thoseCanadians with a taxable annual income between$44,700 and $89,401. The Liberals have said that change will be their first piece of legislation when the House of Commons returns.

Politicians' perks

Ambrose said that the public expects some perks for their political leaders, but they draw the line at luxuries like nannies.

"There are a lot of thingsthat are provided to leaders of the opposition, to members of Parliament, ministers, to prime ministers, to support them in their public role, but I do think people believe far and wide that heshould pay for his own nannies."

NDP Leader Tom Mulcairechoed that sentiment saying that "of course" the government provides some staff to the prime minister, but he said it was "surprising" that one of Trudeau's"first official acts" was to provide him and his family with taxpayer-funded child care.

The Prime Minister's Office said Wednesday that the totalnumber of people working at RideauCottage, the prime minister's residence, will not increase despite the two recent nanny hires.

"The prime ministerwill not expand the household staff of the prime minister's residence. He will be adapting the staff complement to suit his family's requirements, given he is the proud father of three young children. It is an ongoing process and will be finalized in the coming days," Kate Purchase, the PM's director ofcommunications said in an e-mail to CBC News.

A senior Liberal source told CBC News that theTrudeaushave yet to finalize other members of thehousehold staff, saying they had to move quickly to get the nannies on the publicpayroll because the family wasabout to leave for a string of international leaders' summits.