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Canada’s Diplomats Told to Stop Using Cardboard Cutouts of Justin Trudeau at Events

By Emily Zanotti

The government of Canada has spent a lot of money on cardboard cutouts of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, so that fans of Canada across the world can experience a moment with their magical and hunky leader.

But because some of those experiences turned into “inappropriate photos,” the government is now recalling their army of faux Trudeaus and asking Canadian embassies to discontinue the practice.

“We are aware of instances where our missions in the United States had decided to purchase and use these cut-outs,” department spokesperson Michael O’Shaughnessy told Canada’s state news network. “The missions have been asked to no longer use these for their events.”

According to emails, made public by Canada’s conservative party, cardboard Trudeaus have appeared all over the world, including at the United States’  Canadian embassy (at its Canada Day party) and recently at the South by Southwest Festival in Austin, Texas. Each Trudeau costs the government around $150 (next day shipping included).

The practice began with an embassy official who thought it would be a “hoot” for Americans to take “selfies” with the PM.

“I think this will be a hoot and extremely popular and go well with our Snapchat filter,” the official said in the now-public email, adding that the cutout would generate “some serious selfie action.”

Those selfies turned out to be more than the Canadian government bargained for, as party attendees took photos of themselves kissing, licking and otherwise assaulting Trudeau’s paper doppelganger (pictures from Twitter, accounts removed to protect the innocent Trudeau fanatics).

According to the emails, the government never got official permission from the Prime Minister himself, or his office, but embassy officials noted that the American embassy in Ottawa has a cutout of Obama, so it should be fine.

Sadly, once the pictures hit the Internet, the cutouts were deemed “not prime ministerial” and have now been taken out of service. Which means there will be no more selfies with faux Trudeau, but that some government office in Canada will be packed to the gills with cardboard cutouts of the PM looking slightly disheveled and unbearably handsome.

Fear not, though, Trudeau selfie-seekers: The actual Canadian Prime Minister is known for being very open to taking photos with his many fans. Often shirtless.

 

https://heatst.com/uncategorized/canadas-diplomats-urged-to-stop-using-cardboard-cutouts-of-justin-trudeau-at-events/

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