Congratulations to Canadian Prime Minister Justin S. Trudeau!
ON November 4, 2015, Justin S. Trudeau was sworn in as Canada’s 23rd Prime Minister. He led the Liberal Party to a decisive victory in the October 19 federal election, winning 184 of 338 seats, a 150-seat gain, with 39.5% of the popular vote, for a strong majority government. Apart from taking Atlantic Canada and Toronto, his party won for first time a majority of 40 seats in Quebec.
“I am committed to leading an open, honest government that is accountable to Canadians, lives up to the highest ethical standards, brings our country together, and applies the utmost care and prudence in the handling of public funds,” he said during his inauguration.
His first act was to appoint an equal number of men and women in his Cabinet, a first in Canada’s history, to fulfill his pledge of a genderbalanced official family. His first legislative priority, he said, will be to lower taxes for middle-income workers, raise taxes for the top 1 percent of income earners. He vowed to rebuild relations with indigenous people and run an open, ethical, and transparent government. He will serve as minister of intergovernmental affairs and youth.
Born on Christmas Day in 1971 in Ottawa Ontario, Trudeau is the eldest son of former Prime Minister Pierre E. Trudeau, Canada’s 15th prime minister (1968-70 and 1980-84), and Madame Margeret Sinclair Trudeau. He is the second-youngest prime minister in Canadian history after Joe Clark, and first child of a former prime minister to hold the post.
He supported the Liberal Party from a young age, and became more involved in it following his father’s death in 2000. He was elected in 2008 as opposition member of Parliament and was reelected in 2011. He was elected Liberal Party leader in 2013.
He obtained his Bachelor of Arts in English Literature from McGill University and Bachelor of Education from University of British Columbia. After graduation, he taught French and math at West Point Grey Academy and Sir Winston Churchill Secondary School in Vancouver. He pursued engineering studies at Ecole Polytechnique de Monstreal, and for a master’s degree in Environmental Geography at McGill University. He starred in CBC miniseries The Great War, about Canada’s participation in First World War, in 2007. He wrote his autobiography, Common Ground, released in 2014.
He advocated programs for the youth, as well as peace and conflict studies, environmental protection, winter sports safety, and access to affordable, high-quality education.
Trudeau married his childhood friend, Sophie B. Gregoire, who worked as Quebec reporter for the CTV show “e Talk,” on May 28, 2005, in a Catholic ceremony at Sainte Madeleine d’Outremont Church in Montreal, where they both grew up. They have three young children: Xavier James, Ella-Grace Margaret, and Hadrien.