Justin Trudeau’s Controversial Vacation With the Aga Khan—Explained

Over the last few days, you might have seen headlines about Prime Minister Justin Trudeau taking a schmoozy vacation with spiritual leader and billionaire Aga Khan. Critics say Trudeau may have unfairly used taxpayer dollars for a luxurious holiday trip, and may have created a number of conflicts of interests by accepting gifts from someone whose organization receives money from the Canadian government.

Regardless, if you're like me, you're probably thinking, "Who the hell is the Aga Khan, and why does this matter?" Both good questions. Let us help!

On December 26, Trudeau and his family left on a holiday vacation to Bell Island—-a small portion of the Bahamas owned by the Prince Shah Karim Al Hussaini, also known as the current Aga Khan.

For context, the Aga Khan is the leader of the Nizari Ismailis—a sect of Shia Islam—whose family consists of bloodline successors of the Aga Khan title. The current Aga Khan amassed his fortune through a continuation of his family's wealth, as well as running a number of lucrative businesses—the most well-known of which are his investments into horse racing.

The Aga Khan foundation is set up as a philanthropic organization, one that generally focuses on improving quality of life in developing countries and helping encourage investment in parts of the world slogged by slow economic growth.

Trudeau first flew to the Bahamas from Montreal via a Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) jet, and later, allegedly, by a personal helicopter owned by the Aga Khan to his $100-million personal island.

According to Trudeau (when questioned about the ethics of accepting a trip from the head of an organization that received $55 million in Canadian funds for foreign aid programs in Afghanistan last year), the Aga Khan is a "long-time family friend" who was the pallbearer at his father's funeral, and he argues that the vacation was strictly personal.

The Prime Minister's Office (PMO) also originally told reporters that no one was on the Dec. 26 jet ride except for Trudeau and his family, but the National Post has reported Wednesday that both Liberal Party president Anna Gainey, and Liberal MP Seamus O'Reagan, were also on the trip with the prime minister.

When asked about their presence on the trip at a press conference Tuesday, Trudeau declined to comment, but the PMO has since confirmed to the National Post that both Gainey and O'Reagan were on the trip. O'Reagan has said that he seeks to personally reimburse the Aga Khan for any costs incurred, and is not putting it on the taxpayer's tab, while questions over Trudeau's use of public funds remain an attack point for critics.

On Monday, Conservative MP Andrew Scheer filed a complaint with the Parliamentary Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner, arguing that the prime minister had violated his duty in keeping conflict of interests away from the PMO.

"The Prime Minister of Canada must be held to the highest standard which is why I have called for this investigation," Scheer said in a statement. "As a former Speaker of the House of Commons, I take the rules that MPs must follow very seriously. We need to know if it is appropriate for Trudeau to accept gifts from someone whose foundation receives funds from the Government of Canada."

Why does all this matter? Well, for once, people railing against the leader of a western country for taking a vacation have a really good point. Trudeau, regardless of the fact he's been a longtime friend of the Aga Khan, is the leader of Canada—a country which has given the Aga Khan Foundation Canada $310 million since 2004. That alone is a reason to not take a vacation on the privately-owned island of a billionaire whose organization lobbies your workplace for cash.

What's almost more worrying, however, is that this is the second major stumbling block for Trudeau in the last two months regarding his acceptance of donations (and now a gift of sorts). At the tailend of last year, the prime minister was tangled in a cash-for-access controversy after he was found to have been holding meetings and speaking events at a $1,500-per-ticket price.

When pressed on the issue, Trudeau said he was using the exclusive-access events to talk about how others could help his government "create economic growth for the middle class."

Follow Jake Kivanc on Twitter.

 Head photo via THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick.