Justin Pierre James Trudeau PC MP is a Canadian politician serving as the 23rd Prime Minister of Canada since 2015 and Leader of the Liberal Party since 2013.
He has held various positions, including as president of the youth charity Katimavik and as a director of the non-profit Canadian Avalanche Association. In 2006, he was appointed chair of the Liberal Party’s Youth Revitalization Task Force.
Trudeau launched several major government initiatives during his first term, including legalizing recreational marijuana through the Cannabis Act, attempting Senate appointments reform, and establishing a federal carbon tax.
He is also known for being the second-youngest prime minister in Canadian history and the first child of a former prime minister.
contour
- Full name: Justin Pierre James Trudeau
- Date of Birth: December 25, 1971
- Age: 53
- Sex: Male
- Birthplace: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
- Nationality: Canadian
- Occupation: Politician
- Height: 6 feet 2 inches (188 cm)
- Parents: Pierre Trudeau and Margaret Sinclair
- Siblings: Alexander Trudeau, Michelle Trudeau
- Spouse: Sophie Gregoire Trudeau
- Children: Xavier James Trudeau, Ella Grace, Hadrian Gregoire Trudeau
- Marital status: Married
- Net worth: $10 million
Early life and education
Justin Pierre James Trudeau, 53 years old, was born on December 25, 1971 in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. His father is former Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau and his mother is Margaret Trudeau.
Trudeau grew up in the political spotlight, spending most of his formative years in Montreal, Quebec. He was raised in a bilingual and multicultural environment and is deeply proud of his heritage.
He is the second child born to a sitting prime minister in Canadian history, the first being Margaret Mary Theodora MacDonald, daughter of John Alexander MacDonald.
Trudeau has two younger brothers, Alexander (Sasha), born on December 25, 1973, and Michel, born on October 2, 1975 and died on November 13, 1998.
Trudeau’s ancestry is primarily Scottish and French Canadian. His grandfathers were businessman Charles-Emile Trudeau and Scottish-born James Sinclair, who served as fisheries minister in the cabinet of Prime Minister Louis Saint-Laurent.
Trudeau’s great-grandfather, Thomas Bernard, immigrated from Makassar, Indonesia to Penticton, British Columbia in 1906 at the age of 15.
Through the Bernard family, Trudeau is also a descendant of Major-General William Farquhar, a key figure in the founding of modern Singapore, and has distant Malacca and Nias ancestry.
Trudeau completed his undergraduate studies at McGill University, earning a Bachelor of Arts, and subsequently received a Bachelor of Education from the University of British Columbia.
While attending McGill University, he met future Chief Secretary Gerald Butts through a mutual friend. This led to his invitation to join the McGill Debating Union.
After graduation, Trudeau entered the teaching profession in Vancouver, initially as a substitute teacher and later as a French and mathematics educator at West Point Grey Academy.
He briefly studied engineering at the Ecole Polytechnique de Montreal and began a master’s program in environmental geography at McGill University before shifting his focus toward a career in public service.
personal life
Trudeau and Sophie Gregoire met during their childhood in Montreal. Gregoire happened to be a classmate and childhood friend of Trudeau’s youngest brother, and the two formed a strong friendship at an early age. In 2003, as adults, they rekindled their love and soon began a romantic journey.
After dating for several months, the couple got engaged in 2004 and exchanged vows in a wedding in Montreal in 2005. They have three children: Xavier (born 2007), Ella-Grace (born 2009) and Hadrien (born 2014).
After Trudeau was elected Liberal leader in June 2013, the couple made a major change to their living arrangements. They decided to sell their Montreal home and move to a rented house in Rockcliffe Park, Ottawa.
However, their peaceful abode was disrupted in 2014 when an intruder broke into their home while Gregoire and his children were sleeping, prompting Trudeau to seek enhanced home security measures from the RCMP.
Then, after winning the 2015 election, Trudeau decided to live in Rideau Cottage, located within Rideau Hall.
On August 2, 2023, Trudeau publicly announced his separation from Gregoire. In a subsequent statement on August 21, Trudeau emphasized his commitment to prioritizing his children and focusing on their future endeavors together.
Profession
Trudeau has been a supporter of the Liberal Party since his youth, initially supporting party leader John Turner in the 1988 federal election. In the 21st century, after the death of his father, he became more involved in Liberal Party activities, co-hosting events and serving as chair of the Youth Renewal Task Force.
He also expressed opposition to Quebec nationalism and publicly supported leadership candidates Gerard Kennedy and Stéphane Dion. He was rumored to run in the Outremont by-election, but he ultimately announced his intention to seek the Liberal nomination for the neighboring riding of Papineau in the next general election.
On November 4, 2015, Trudeau and his cabinet were formally sworn in by Governor General David Johnston. He stressed that he was committed to lowering taxes on middle-income Canadians and raising taxes on the top 1% of earners after Parliament resumes on December 3, 2015.
Trudeau also pledged to improve relations with Canada’s indigenous peoples and ensure a transparent and ethical government.
In addition, the Liberal Party announced the restoration of the mandatory long-form census at its first caucus meeting after forming a majority government on November 5, 2015.
As prime minister, Trudeau launched three major independent inquiries, including the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, the Joint Federal/Provincial Commission into the 2020 Attack in Nova Scotia, and the Public Inquiry into Foreign Interference in the Federal Electoral Process and Democratic Institutions.
The latter is due to allegations of foreign interference in Canada’s federal elections, particularly by the Chinese government, as well as other countries hostile to Canada.
The MMIWG investigation concluded that Canada’s response to the issue amounted to genocide, a conclusion Trudeau has acknowledged. In November 2016, Trudeau was criticized for his fundraising practices, which members of the opposition viewed as a “pay-for-access” plot.
He defended the tactics, saying they did not violate any ethical rules, despite concerns that attendees, including foreign businessmen seeking government approval for their businesses, would have to pay high fees to see him and other Cabinet members.
Awards
- Nobel Peace Prize (2022)
- Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People (2017)
- Global Citizen Leadership Award for Fighting Poverty (2018)
net worth
Justin Trudeau’s net worth is estimated to be around $10 million.
social media
- Instagram: @justinpjtrudeau
- Twitter: @JustinTrudeau
books
- Commonalities
- Munk Debate
