Prime Minister Justin Trudeau arrives in Tofino for B.C. vacation

PM speaks in public on separation from wife Trudeau spoke publicly on his separation from his wife Sophie, thanking Canadians and his family for their support.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is vacationing with his family on Vancouver Island this week.

The prime minister's plane landed at Tofino-Long Beach Airport just before 11:30 a.m. Thursday.

The Bombardier Challenger jet operated by the Royal Canadian Air Force left Ottawa shortly after 9 a.m. local time.

The Prime Minister's Office says Trudeau and his family are vacationing in British Columbia for just over a week. They are set to return to Ottawa on Aug. 18.

Trudeau and his wife of 18 years, Sophie Grégoire Trudeau, announced last week that they are separating but that they still plan to spend time together as a family.

They also asked for privacy for the well-being of their three children.

Trudeau faced backlash from Indigenous groups and political opponents in September 2021 after flying to Tofino for vacation on the inaugural National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.

"Travelling on September 30th was a mistake, and I regret it," Trudeau said following the ill-timed trip.

"The first National Day of Truth and Reconciliation was a time for Indigenous people and non-Indigenous people alike to reflect and connect, think about the past but also focus on the future."

Trudeau has vacationed in Tofino multiple times during his tenure as prime minister, where he has been photographed surfing, walking the beaches and "photobombing" a wedding party.

The Prime Minister's Office says it consulted with the ethics commissioner about the trip and that the Trudeaus are paying for their own stay.

With files from The Canadian Press