Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and son Xavier depart New Delhi, India on Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2023. Trudeau's departure was delayed several days due to a technical issue with his military aircraft. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick
OTTAWA – Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has finally touched down in Canada after technical issues with a government aircraft delayed his departure from India by two days.
Trudeau and the Canadian delegation that attended the G20 leaders’ summit in New Delhi was set to depart for Ottawa on Sunday, but the plane was grounded over an issue discovered during pre-flight checks.
The CC-150 Polaris plane, part of a fleet that was commissioned in the early 1990s, has been plagued with problems in recent years and is set to be replaced later this fall.
After the issue was discovered, the Royal Canadian Air Force sent a technician to India with replacement parts.
It also sent a backup plane in case it was needed, but the technician was able to fix the issue on the original plane.
The prime minister does not fly on commercial flights for security reasons.
The Liberal caucus is holding a three-day retreat in London, Ont., with smaller groups of MPs meeting on Tuesday.
The wider national caucus is scheduled to meet beginning Wednesday and Trudeau is expected to attend.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 12, 2023.
