The day after the US election, Canada’s immigration website literally crashed under the weight of millions desperate to immigrate there. And it wasn’t just about escaping the Trump factor so much as the desire to embrace the Trudeau factor. The best Justin to come out of Canada since Bieber, the world has fallen head over heels for the country’s handsome, fresh faced, 44-year-old prime minister who embodies everything you could want in a 21st century leader.
Justin and wife Sophie Grégoire Trudeau with Michelle and Barack Obama
He’s the real deal humanitarian…
Trudeau’s refugee policy – which is served up with the hashtag #welcomerefugees – shows true leadership in today’s turbulent world climate. Upon his appointment as PM in November 2015 Trudeau declared Canada would accept 25,000 Syrian refugees by February 2016. To date the country has actually resettled 36,000 refugees and pledges to make it 50,000 by year-end. As further evidence of his genuine compassion, Trudeau personally greets arriving refugees at the airport and hands out warm coats. He was even moved to tears recently when reunited with a Syrian father whose family he’d welcomed into the country. “Watching you and your girls walk through this airport towards me, was a moment in which I understood just the kinds of things that we can do as a country,” he said during the encounter. Say no more.
He’s a feminist and unapologetic about it…
One of Trudeau’s first priorities as PM was to introduce a 50/50 gender-balanced cabinet because, as he put it at the time, “It’s 2015.”
“If you’re a progressive, you really should be a feminist because it’s about equality, it’s about respect, it’s about making the best of the world that we have,” said the young PM in a media interview early this year. “I talk about the fact that I’m a feminist as often as I can, and every time I do it gets a huge media reaction and the Twitterverse explodes. I will keep saying that until there is no more reaction when I say it, because that’s where we want to get to,” says Trudeau, who is a father of one son and two daughters (all under ten) and admits he had a light bulb moment when his wife, Sophie reminded him to impress the importance of gender equality upon his son just as much as his daughters.
He’s an eco-crusader…
Trudeau has managed to strike the balance between being environmentally focused and open for business. Speaking at the UN Climate Summit shortly after becoming PM, he said: “Canada is back, my friends. Canada is back, and here to help.” The liberal leader has pledged to invest hundreds of millions of dollars to support innovation and clean technology in the forestry, energy and agricultural sectors, implement a carbon tax, dramatically lower the countries greenhouse gas output, and phase out subsidies for the fossil fuel industry. In September this year the government gave the green light to a $36-billion Pacific Northwest liquefied natural gas project in British Columbia. “The environment and the economy, they go together like paddles and canoes. If you don’t take care of both, you’re never going to get to where you’re going.” Any wonder he is besties with Obama, who has called Canada “an ambitious ally.”
Did we mention he’s good looking to boot?
He’s a legit “nice guy”…
Trudeau, who is a family man (his Insta is full of loved up, playful shots of his wife and kids), has a reputation for being warm, friendly, in-touch, open, empathetic and without ego despite his privileged upbringing – his father Pierre served as Canadian Prime Minister from 1968 – 1979 and again from 1980 – 1984. Trusting in his government Trudeau shows no signs of snobbery. Trudeau’s current minister of national defense, Harjit Sajjan is a Sikh Veteran, former soldier and policeman, while the minister for sports and persons with disabilities, Carla Qualtrough was born visually impaired and is a three-time Paralympic medalist in swimming.
He flirted with the Queen…
As the son of the former prime minister, Trudeau is used to rubbing shoulders with royalty – he recalls having to leave school early as a kid to have lunch with the Queen. And in proof of his shared affection with her majesty the Queen tweeted, “Thank you, @justintrudeau for making me feel so old” when he delivered the official toast to the Queen, honoring her 60 year reign, to which Trudeau tweeted in response, “On the contrary you are forever young. I was honored to toast your lifetime of service tonight.” Nor was the PM offended when snubbed by Prince George after bending down to offer the young prince a high five when he arrived with his parents on the British Tour of Canada.
No doubt working his charm on the Queen
He’s a modern man and oh-so-hip…
For starters, Trudeau is inked (know any other world leaders with a tat?), has a killer body (which he isn’t afraid to reveal shirtless), is open about having smoked pot in the past and pro the legalisation of it (in a bid to curb under-age use and crime). He also kissed an openly gay talk show host on national TV and was the first PM to march in Toronto’s gay Pride Parade. And despite boasting degrees in literature and engineering (renaissance man), he was a humble math and French school teacher in a past life. Did we mention he’s funny? Trudeau’s campaign ads poked fun at himself (and those luscious locks) “different hair, same platform”, he wore a Superman t-shirt to comic con, admitted to buying his son an age-inappropriate Millennium Falcon Lego just so he could build it himself and said he wants Meryl Streep to play him if anyone ever makes a movie of his life.
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