Justin Trudeau family member paid by Canadian government to speak at blockchain event. Canadian lawmakers are searching for answers after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau ‘s half-brother was paid out last year by the federal government to appear at a blockchain conference.
Kyle Kemper was paid C$12,430 (US$9,127) for speaking about blockchain technology at a conference in Zug, Switzerland, in June 2019 according to a Monday report by The Globe and Mail.
Kemper was reportedly requested by Canadian government officials to take on the speaker role after they’d heard him discussing the tech at a previous conference in Dubai. Kemper said the choice was not related to his family connections with Justin Trudeau.
The Prime Minister’s Office said the role was given a seal of approval by Global Affairs Canada, the country’s consular support and diplomatic relations department. Opposition members of parliament (MPs) said Trudeau’s government should detail how the contract came to be gifted to Kemper.
Krystyna Dodds, a spokeswoman for Global Affairs Canada, said the selection criteria for speakers were based on their reputation in the business community, their awareness of the subjects and their willingness to talk in public.
[image: Joy Real]
