Speakers bureau updates Margaret Trudeau’s shingle
You can no longer hire Justin Trudeau to speak at your event, but his mom — “The First Grandma” — is available for a fee of at least $5,000.
While Justin Trudeau hasn’t worked as a professional speaker since 2012, his mother, Margaret, is still hanging out her shingle on the paid speaking circuit and appears set to capitalize on her son’s recent political success.
The speaking bureau that promotes Margaret Trudeau overhauled her online profile last month, adding an updated photo and recent press clippings that were published as interest in her son peaked during the election campaign.
Speakers’ Spotlight posted a CBC story on her profile page titled, “Margaret Trudeau on Justin’s Win: ‘A golden mo- ment in my life’” with a photo of her with her son and his family watching the election night results.
“Justin’s always been golden and I couldn’t have been prouder of him last night, the whole family. It’s a blessing to me and Justin, my goodness,” the article quotes Margaret Trudeau saying. “It’s a tremendous victory for Canadian people.”
The agency also linked her profile to an Oct. 22 postelection Chatelaine magazine interview that called her the “First Grandma of Canada.”
Margaret Trudeau’s exact fee for speaking isn’t disclosed on the Speakers’ Spotlight website, but she is listed among speakers who charge $5,000 to $10,000 per event. It was not clear whether her fee had changed since her son became prime minister.
But she is likely to receive far more speaking invitations now that he holds the highest elected office in the country.
The issue of paid speaking events became an irritant for Justin Trudeau during his race for the leadership of the Liberal Party in 2013, when the Ottawa Citizen reported he had earned more than $277,000 in speaking fees since becoming an MP.
In her Speakers’ Spotlight listing, Margaret Trudeau is described as a “Celebrated Canadian/Mental Health Advocate.”
“Margaret Trudeau is a Canadian icon, celebrated both for her role in the public eye and as a respected mental-health issues advocate,” it reads.
Margaret Trudeau’s other son, filmmaker Alexandre “Sacha” Trudeau, is also listed as a speaker in the same price range.