MP Justin Pierre James Trudeau walks to work on Parliament Hill in Ottawa Tuesday, June 19, 2012. (QMI AGENCY/Tony Caldwell)

Justin Trudeau is one of just three MPs - all of them Liberals - to report extra income from speaking engagements in the last five years.

And, in Trudeau's case, it appears he missed debates, votes and possibly one of his party's caucus meetings so he could earn tens of thousands on the speaking circuit.

Trudeau, speaking to supporters in Bracebrige, Ont., Friday, declined to provide any more details about the issue.

But in documents he provided to the Ottawa Citizen, he said he had been paid $277,000 for 17 speaking engagements since becoming an MP in the 2008 general election.

A QMI agency examination of those engagements founds that nine events for which he earned $147,000 were held on days the House of Commons was sitting.