October 5, 2017 | Rachel Seigel

Commanding Facts About Justin Trudeau


“I am a teacher. It's how I define myself. A good teacher isn't someone who gives the answers out to their kids but is understanding of needs and challenges and gives tools to help other people succeed. That's the way I see myself, so whatever it is that I will do eventually after politics, it'll have to do a lot with teaching.” - Justin Trudeau

Justin Trudeau was born in Ottawa on Christmas Day 1971 to Margaret Trudeau and Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau. He is Canada’s 23rd Prime Minister and the current leader of Canada’s Liberal Party. Here are 43 facts about Canada's charismatic commander-in-chief.


Justin Trudeau Facts

1. A Capital Birth

Trudeau is the first Canadian Prime Minister to be born in the nation’s capital, Ottawa.

Portrait Photo of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau facing the cameraArt Babych, Shutterstock

2. Only Once Before

Trudeau is only the second child in Canadian history to be born to a serving Prime Minister. The first instance was when Margaret Mary Macdonald was born to Sir John A. Macdonald.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at Capitol Hill in Washington, DCAlex Wong, Getty Images

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3. Like Father, Like Son

Another record-breaker: As the son of Pierre Trudeau, Justin Trudeau is the only Canadian Prime Minister who is related to a previous Prime Minister.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel presents a photo to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau which shows him posing with his father Pierre TrudeauHandout, Getty Images

4. October 18

October 18 has special meaning to Trudeau: It is his father’s birthday, the day he proposed to his wife Sophie Gregoire, and the day that his first child was born.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau with his wife, Sophie Gregoire TrudeauArt Babych, Shutterstock

5. A Family Acquaintance

Sophie Gregoire Trudeau was a classmate and friend of Trudeau’s youngest brother Michel, and spent a lot of time in the Trudeau home before she started dating Justin.

Sophie Gregoire and Justin Trudeau arrive at the "Midnight's Children" PremiereJemal Countess, Getty Images

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6. A Royal Proposal

Following a couple’s massage with champagne and oysters, Trudeau proposed to Sophie at the Royal Suite of the St. James Hotel in Old Montreal. The site was also the location of their wedding reception.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his wife Sophie Gregoire arrive for the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Heads of Government MeetingPool, Getty Images

7. Papineau

In the 2007 mini-series The Great War, Trudeau portrayed soldier and Rhodes Scholar Talbot Mercer Papineau; Papineau was killed in the Battle of Passchendaele. Coincidentally, Trudeau won the nomination for the riding of Papineau in Quebec the same month the mini-series aired on TV.

Justin Trudeau delivering a speech on a doorstep in Toronto's Little Italy.Alex Guibord, Flickr

8. Eight and Eight

Trudeau is the eighth person whose name starts with the letter J to become Prime Minister. He is also the eighth person to do so while in their 40s.

Justin Trudeau pictured at the German Chancelleryphotocosmos1, Shutterstock

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9. Young but not Youngest

Joe Clark holds the record for being Canada’s youngest Prime Minister; he was sworn in one day before his 40th birthday. Trudeau, having been sworn in at the age of 43, is the second youngest Prime Minister in Canada’s history.

Canadian Prime Minister Joe Clark at the Group of Seven Industrial Countries meeting in TokyoKeystone, Getty Images

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10. Professor Trudeau

Before getting into politics, Trudeau taught high school French, drama and math.

Portrait Photo of Canadian Prime Minister Justin TrudeauArt Babych, Shutterstock

11. A True Heavyweight

Nobody can accuse Trudeau of not being able to take a punch! The PM has participated in several charity boxing matches, and famously beat Canadian Conservative Senator Patrick Brazeau in a charity match in 2012.

Justin Trudeau, visits Paul Brown Boxfit boxing gymCarlos Osorio, Getty Images

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12. Inked

Justin has a large tattoo on his arm that is actually composed of two separate tattoos. He first got a globe when he was 23, and then added a Haida raven around the earlier tattoo when he turned 40. The raven represents the Aboriginal people who live in the Haida Gwaii territory in British Columbia and parts of Alaska.

Portrait Photo of Justin Trudeau in a black t-shirtJustin Trudeau, Flickr

13. What a Girl Wants

Trudeau raised around $1,900 Canadian for liver disease by performing a partial strip-tease at a the "What a Girl Wants" Gala in 2011. While Trudeau is known for his abs, he kept things PG and only stripped down to his tank top.

Portrait Photo of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in gray suit2017 Canada Summer Games, Flickr

14. Famous in Iceland

In August 2017, a friend of Radio Host Bill Carroll discovered a Trudeau shirt for sale in Reykjavik, Iceland. The tee depicts a shirtless Trudeau in front of mountains, flanked by a moose and a bear.

Justin Trudeau speaks at the Global Progress luncheon sponsored by the Center for American Progress March 11, 2016 in Washington, DCWin McNamee, Getty Images

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15. You Can Go Home Again

Trudeau’s childhood home was 24 Sussex Drive, which is the official residence of Canada’s Prime Minister. When the renovations and repairs on the residence are complete, Trudeau will move back into the residence with his family.

Residence of the Prime Minister of CanadaAlasdair McLellan, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

16. Balancing Act

Most politicians stick with simply holding babies, but Trudeau has a trick that separates him from the rest of the pack. He credits his dad with teaching him how to balance babies, which makes for a great photo op and a souvenir for the proud parents.

Justin Trudeau attends an event at the United Nations (UN) headquarters on March 16, 2016 in New York City  Spencer Platt, Getty Images

17. Life of the Party

Trudeau has a party trick: he throws himself down a flight of stairs and gets up unscathed. He even performed the stunt at his wedding reception.

Prime Minister Trudeau of Canada at 10 Downing Street.B. Lenoir, Shutterstock

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18. Family Tragedy

Trudeau suffered the loss of his younger brother Michel: the sibling was swept away by an avalanche while skiing in 1998. The tragedy inspired Trudeau to get involved with the Canadian Avalanche Foundation, and he later became its director.

Canadian Prime Minister Pierre E. Trudeau joins sons Justin, Sacha, and Michel in this photo for his 1980 Christmas cardBettmann, Getty Images

19. Burying the Hatchet

Former Prime Minister Brian Mulroney called Pierre Trudeau his nemesis, even spending an entire chapter of his memoirs criticizing him. Despite this rivalry, Justin Trudeau and Ben Mulroney, Brian's son, are good friends. Brian Mulroney even endorsed Justin for PM.

Former Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney takes in the the NHL gameRichard Wolowicz, Getty Images

20. Thank You!

The day after the election, Trudeau thanked voters in an unexpected place: He spent the morning in a Montreal Subway station saying thank you to commuters.

Canadian Prime Minister during the EU-Canada summit meeting 2016Alexandros Michailidis, Shutterstock

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21. Surprisingly Open

Trudeau has repeatedly demonstrated that he isn’t afraid to get personal in an interview. He has spoken frankly about his mother’s mental illness (she has bipolar disorder) and his wife’s battle with eating disorders.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau attends a meeting on women and gender equality at the United Nations headquartersSpencer Platt, Getty Images

22. Planks like a Pro

A viral photo of Trudeau performing a yoga pose in an office on Parliament Hill shows off his core strength. The photo shows Trudeau supporting himself only with his hands on the table, while his legs jut out horizontally into the air.

Justin Trudeau on Francophone Summit in YerevanGYG Studio, Shutterstock

23. A Sentimental Seat

One of the first things Trudeau did when he moved into his new office was reinstall his father’s old desk.

Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau at his residencepaparazzza, Shutterstock

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 24. Comic Book Cameo

In 1979, Pierre Trudeau appeared in an issue of Uncanny X-Men. In 2016, Justin followed in his father’s footsteps, appearing on the variant cover of Civil War II: Choosing Sides.

The cover of US publisher Marvel's comic book, featuring Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as a super heroMARC BRAIBANT, Getty Images

25. I Want Her to Play Me!

Trudeau once said that if a movie was ever made about his life, he’d like to be played by Meryl Streep.

Grayscale Portrait Photo of Meryl Streep, American actress born in Summit, New JerseyEvening Standard, Getty Images

26. A Warm Welcome

When Canada welcomed its first group of Syrian Refugees, Trudeau went to the Toronto airport to personally greet them and help hand out winter coats.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau boards Can Force One in CalgaryAlex JW Robinson, Shutterstock

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27. Not His “Friend”

Matthew Perry and Justin Trudeau went to the same grade school in Canada. In a 2017 interview with Jimmy Kimmel, Perry admitted to beating up Trudeau in 5th grade because he was jealous of the future PM's athletic ability.

Matthew Perry poses for pictures at Magic Radio on April 1, 2015 in London, EnglandAlex B. Huckle, Getty Images

28. Most Influential

In April 2016, Trudeau was named one of Time magazine’s “Most Influential People” in the "Leader" category. Fellow Canadian and SNL boss Lorne Michaels wrote his feature.

Portrait Photo of Justin Pierre James Trudeau in green shirtmeunierd, Shutterstock

29. And Powerful too!

Trudeau was also ranked 66th on Forbes’ Most Powerful People of 2016.

Justin Trudeau attends a news conference on March 7, 2019 in Ottawa, CanadaDave Chan, Getty Images

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30. Feminism

Trudeau is a self-proclaimed feminist. He believes in gender equality, and even appointed a 50% female cabinet. When asked why he felt that this move was important, he replied: “Because it’s 2015.”

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau (R) helps Ivanka Trump with her chairMark Wilson, Getty Images

31. Not Just a Pretty Face

When a reporter assumed that Trudeau couldn’t understand the concept of quantum computing, Trudeau shocked the audience by explaining how the concept works without missing a beat.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau attends a panel discussion titled 'Launch Event Women's Entrepreneur Finance Initiative' on the second day of the G20 summit on July 8, 2017Pool, Getty Images

32. A Presidential Prediction

At a state dinner attended by Trudeau’s father in 1972, Richard Nixon predicted that Trudeau, who was just a baby at the time, would one day succeed his father as Prime Minister.

Former US President Richard Nixon and His son-in-law David EisenhowerKeystone, Getty Images

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33. Well That Was Awkward

Trudeau got caught in a rare awkward moment when he found himself in the middle of a three-way handshake between US President Barack Obama and Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto at the 2016 “Three Amigos Summit.”

U.S. President Barack Obama (R) stands with Mexican President Enrique Pena NietoMark Wilson, Getty Images

34. Game Over, Man

Four years before he became Prime Minister for real, the video game Deus Ex: Human Revolution portrayed Trudeau as the Prime Minister of Canada.

Portrait Photo of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in dark suitArt Babych, Shutterstock

35. Cousin of the Opposition

An Ancestry.com search revealed that Trudeau and former NDP leader Thomas Mulcair are 9th cousins. They are distantly related by their 8th great-grandparents dating back 400 years.

Portrait Photo of Thomas Mulcair in blue suitAsclepias, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

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36. First PM to March

Trudeau made history in July 2016 when he became the first Canadian Prime Minister to march in the Toronto Gay Pride Parade. Trudeau had previously attended parades in Vancouver and Toronto, but never as the country’s leader.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at 2017 Toronto Pride ParadeShawn Goldberg, Shutterstock

37. From Flower Child to First Lady

Trudeau’s mother Margaret Trudeau was famous in her own right. She was a "flower child" before becoming the Prime Minister’s wife. In her youth she partied at Studio 54, and even dated Jack Nicholson and Ted Kennedy.

Canadian author, actress, photographer and activist Margaret TrudeauRonald Dumont, Getty Images

38. Showing an Artistic Side

Trudeau has a talent for drawing. His watercolor sketch of the Canadian Museum for Human Rights was auctioned off for charity on e-Bay and sold for $25,000. Postcard prints of the sketch were given to Liberal Party donors.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, March 31, 2016 in Washington, DCDrew Angerer, Getty Images

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39. Playing with Lego

Trudeau called Star Wars: The Force Awakens a “life-changing movie,” and admitted that he bought his son a LEGO Millennium Falcon set so he could build it himself.

Model of the Star Wars Millennium Falcon in a glass display case at the Lego storeThe Image Party, Shutterstock

40. It’s All About the Socks

Novelty socks are something of an obsession for the Canadian PM, and he’s been seen sporting special socks for different occasions. He’s worn socks with red maple leafs in tribute to Canada’s flag, NATO-themed socks for a NATO meeting, and Star Wars socks for a meeting that fell on May 4th, which is International Star Wars Day.

President Kagame meets with Canadian Prime Minister Justin TrudeauPaul Kagame, Flickr

41. Prime Minister Panda Cuddler

The Internet went wild when Justin Trudeau was photographed cuddling with the baby pandas at the Toronto Zoo during their naming ceremony. Trudeau said that the cubs were a symbol of Canada’s strong relationship with China.

Close Up Photo of Panda in Toronto ZOOMehran Karimzadeh, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

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42. A Man of Substance

Trudeau has been criticized for the number of selfies that he takes with the people he meets, but he argues that being connected with people is essential to serving Canadians, and that government is not about image but substance.

President Jim Yong Kim meets with Canadian Prime Minister Justin TrudeauWorld Bank Photo Collection, Flickr

Sources:  1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11


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