Canada’s prime minister is receiving heat on social media for buying fancy doughnuts in Winnipeg, Man., where he and his cabinet have been hunkering down to discuss strategy for the Liberals’ minority government.

Justin Trudeau on Monday afternoon wrote in a tweet he had just picked up “Winnipeg’s best” doughnuts for the cabinet meetings, accompanied by a photo of himself carrying a stack of boxes.

Picked up some of Winnipeg’s best to keep us going through another full day of Cabinet meetings. Thanks for the fuel, @OhDoughnuts. #shoplocal pic.twitter.com/9vrgWnUdxo — Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) January 20, 2020

Both backlash and praise ensued.

Some criticized the “unnecessary spending” of taxpayer dollars, while others lauded Trudeau for supporting a local business.

more unnecessary spending of #taxpayerdollars. You know that he didn't pay for these out of his own pocket! #thatsforsure — the Misters Mrs. 🇨🇦 (@YepitsMe4sure) January 20, 2020

Bet he did, but we pay for his salary anyway. We are not paying for his kids to go to private school OTOH — ConcernedCdnMom (@ConcernedCdnMom) January 21, 2020

Awesome donuts! Thank you for supporting local, sustainable business. — Jacqueline Romanow (@jromanow) January 21, 2020

Oh Doughnuts owner ignoring backlash against Trudeau's purchase at her store Amanda Kinden, owner of Oh Doughnuts – where Trudeau made the high-profile purchase – spoke to BNN Bloomberg on Tuesday and said she’s largely tuning out the negative press. Kinden said that the price comparisons being drawn between her store’s doughnuts and those of Tim Hortons ignore the costs involved with small-scale production by an outlet not backed by an international restaurant conglomerate.

The owner of Oh Doughnuts – where Trudeau made the high-profile purchase – spoke to BNN Bloomberg on Tuesday and said she’s largely tuning out the negative press.

“I’d say we’re getting more positive feedback about our doughnuts, and people are supportive of what we’ve said and our business practices,” Oh Doughnuts owner Amanda Kinden told BNN Bloomberg.

“The people who are negative, mostly, I am ignoring and don’t really actually have the facts… They’re just gaslighting us a little bit and I’m not really participating in it anymore.”

Kinden said that the price comparisons being drawn between her store’s doughnuts and those of Tim Hortons ignore the costs involved with small-scale production by an outlet not backed by an international restaurant conglomerate.

“They’ve done a disservice to the doughnut in that they’ve made them so cheap,” Kinden said. “Folks don’t actually realize how much work goes into making a doughnut.”

“Sure, when you flash-freeze them and ship them across the country and make them in huge quantities they’re cheaper to make than fresh, daily, handmade doughnuts.”

A dozen “regular” doughnuts at Oh Doughnuts costs $35.

By comparison, a dozen of the standard doughnuts at Tim Hortons costs about $11.

Kinden’s comments to BNN Bloomberg echoed a four-part Twitter rebuttal to the online backlash.

For all those folks complaining that @JustinTrudeau paid too much for our doughnuts when he could have got a dozen at Tim’s for $10, consider this:

-Tim’s isn’t Canadian owned;

-Many Tim’s owners have taken away breaks & benefits from their staff;



1/4 — OhDoughnuts (@OhDoughnuts) January 21, 2020

-A local Winnipeg Tim’s has locked their staff out over a 10 cent raise;

-Tim’s doughnuts are not made fresh in each shop-they are trucked in frozen from a plant in ON

-Tim’s does not use local or organic ingredients where possible, and their cups are not compostable;



2/4 — OhDoughnuts (@OhDoughnuts) January 21, 2020

We are locally owned;employ 30+ staff who enjoy breaks and have the option of joining a benefit plan;we use local butter, eggs and flour;our doughnuts are made fresh daily;we do our best to pay a living wage & never pay minimum wage;



3/4 — OhDoughnuts (@OhDoughnuts) January 21, 2020