Freeland stays in wrong city for climate conference, drops over $3,000 on luxury chauffeur service

This article from the Canadian Taxpayers Federation

By James Wood of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation

Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland stayed in the wrong city during the latest climate conference in Scotland, according to documents obtained by the Canadian Taxpayers Federation.

“Did Freeland forget to check Google Maps?” asked Franco Terrazzano, Federal Director of the CTF. “Taxpayers shouldn’t be billed thousands of dollars extra because a minister stays in Edinburgh when the actual conference is in Glasgow.”

Freeland travelled to Scotland for the United Nations Conference on Climate Change, better known as COP26, with Deputy Minister of Finance Michael Sabia, then-policy director Leslie Church, and Bronwen Jervis, a senior communications advisor.

While the conference was held in Glasgow, all four stayed 86 km away in Edinburgh during the two days Freeland was attending the gathering. The finance department paid over $3,000 for St Andrews Chauffeurs, a luxury executive car service, to shuttle Freeland, Sabia, Church and Jervis between the two cities.

According to Google Maps, it takes about 90 minutes to drive from Edinburgh to Glasgow.

About 121 trains run between Glasgow and Edinburgh per day, including multiple direct trains. Train passengers are able to make the journey in 49 minutes.

While prices may have varied at the time of COP26, Freeland’s group could have paid roughly $50 each, per day and round trip, for first class seats on direct trains going back and forth between the two cities, adding up to around $400.

“Here’s a crazy idea: the next time Freeland wants to attend an international conference she should try staying in the same city instead of billing taxpayers for a luxury chauffeur service,” said Terrazzano. “And why did the minister and her staff drive when they could have taken trains that were cheaper and faster?”

The finance department paid for rooms at Edinburgh’s Hotel Indigo, a four-star “boutique hotel” located in the downtown core of the Scottish capital. The rooms for Sabia, Church, and Jervis each cost between $650 to $680 per night, while Freeland’s room was over $740 a night.

Freeland’s flight to Edinburgh cost $11,573 and Sabia’s flight cost $10,640. Church paid $4,215 and Jervis paid $3,235.

The combined cost from all four travellers was just under $42,000 for a three-day trip.

The finance department didn’t explain why the four delegates had stayed in Edinburgh despite the conference being in Glasgow.

It also did not explain why a private chauffeur service was paid to shuttle the delegates, or provide any explanation on why train tickets were not purchased instead. Questions about the flight costs were also unanswered.

Canada’s 276-person delegation was the largest one sent by a G7 nation to the COP26 conference, including the United Kingdom, which hosted the event and sent 227 delegates.

Full costs for 2021’s conference have been listed as over $1 million, though a full total has not been published. The federal government spent over $680,000 for a previous conference in 2019.

“It’s extremely disappointing that the finance minister is taking taxpayers for a ride like this,” said Terrazzano. “Freeland is supposed to be protecting the public purse, not wasting tax dollars on luxury shuttles because she didn’t stay in the same city as the conference.”

Photo of Edinburgh in main image originally by Chris Fleming from UK – Evening view across Carlton Hill towards the Caste

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Trump opens door to Iranian oil exports

Published on July 3, 2025

Todayville

This article supplied by Troy Media.

By Rashid Husain Syed

U.S. President Donald Trump’s chaotic foreign policy is unravelling years of pressure on Iran and fuelling a surge of Iranian oil into global markets. His recent pivot to allow China to buy Iranian crude, despite previously trying to crush those exports, marks a sharp shift from strategic pressure to transactional diplomacy.

This unpredictability isn’t just confusing allies—it’s transforming global oil flows. One day, Trump vetoes an Israeli plan to assassinate Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Khamenei. Days later, he calls for Iran’s unconditional surrender. After announcing a ceasefire between Iran, Israel and the United States, Trump praises both sides then lashes out at them the next day.

The biggest shock came when Trump posted on Truth Social that “China can now continue to purchase Oil from Iran. Hopefully, they will be purchasing plenty from the U.S., also.” The statement reversed the “maximum pressure” campaign he reinstated in February, which aimed to drive Iran’s oil exports to zero. The campaign reimposes sanctions on Tehran, threatening penalties on any country or company buying Iranian crude,
with the goal of crippling Iran’s economy and nuclear ambitions.

This wasn’t foreign policy—it was deal-making. Trump is brokering calm in the Middle East not for strategy, but to boost American oil sales to China. And in the process, he’s giving Iran room to move.

The effects of this shift in U.S. policy are already visible in trade data. Chinese imports of Iranian crude hit record levels in June. Ship-tracking firm Vortexa reported more than 1.8 million barrels per day imported between June 1 and 20. Kpler data, covering June 1 to 27, showed a 1.46 million bpd average, nearly 500,000 more than in May.

Much of the supply came from discounted May loadings destined for China’s independent refineries—the so-called “teapots”—stocking up ahead of peak summer demand. After hostilities broke out between Iran and Israel on June 12, Iran ramped up exports even further, increasing daily crude shipments by 44 per cent within a week.

Iran is under heavy U.S. sanctions, and its oil is typically sold at a discount, especially to China, the world’s largest oil importer. These discounted barrels undercut other exporters, including U.S. allies and global producers like Canada, reducing global prices and shifting power dynamics in the energy market.

All of this happened with full knowledge of the U.S. administration. Analysts now expect Iranian crude to continue flowing freely, as long as Trump sees strategic or economic value in it—though that position could reverse without warning.

Complicating matters is progress toward a U.S.-China trade deal. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick told reporters that an agreement reached in May has now been finalized. China later confirmed the understanding. Trump’s oil concession may be part of that broader détente, but it comes at the cost of any consistent pressure on Iran.

Meanwhile, despite Trump’s claims of obliterating Iran’s nuclear program, early reports suggest U.S. strikes merely delayed Tehran’s capabilities by a few months. The public posture of strength contrasts with a quieter reality: Iranian oil is once again flooding global markets.

With OPEC+ also boosting output monthly, there is no shortage of crude on the horizon. In fact, oversupply may once again define the market—and Trump’s erratic diplomacy is helping drive it.

For Canadian producers, especially in Alberta, the return of cheap Iranian oil can mean downward pressure on global prices and stiffer competition in key markets. And with global energy supply increasingly shaped by impulsive political decisions, Canada’s energy sector remains vulnerable to forces far beyond its borders.

This is the new reality: unpredictability at the top is shaping the oil market more than any cartel or conflict. And for now, Iran is winning.

Toronto-based Rashid Husain Syed is a highly regarded analyst specializing in energy and politics, particularly in the Middle East. In addition to his contributions to local and international newspapers, Rashid frequently lends his expertise as a speaker at global conferences. Organizations such as the Department of Energy in Washington and the International Energy Agency in Paris have sought his insights on global energy matters.

Troy Media empowers Canadian community news outlets by providing independent, insightful analysis and commentary. Our mission is to support local media in helping Canadians stay informed and engaged by delivering reliable content that strengthens community connections and deepens understanding across the country.