5 Interesting Facts About Canada's New Prime Minister Justin Trudeau
The eldest son of former iconic Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau (1919 – 2000), Justin Trudeau was elected Tuesday as the next prime minister of America's northern neighbor. A leader of the Liberal Party of Canada since 2013, Trudeau, 43, represents the Papineau district of Montreal, Quebec. He was baptized Roman Catholic and married in the Catholic Church.
Trudeau, who is the second-youngest prime minister of the country in its history, has vowed to make Canada more open to immigrants and refugees who are fleeing the Islamic State terror group. He has also signaled to President Obama that Canada will end the Royal's Air Force's participation against bombing missions against IS.
Considered predictably liberal in his politics, he does, however, support the Keystone XL pipeline. Many conservatives in the United States and Canada view Trudeau as the Canadian version of Obama. He's in favor of higher taxes for the wealthy, the legalization of marijuana, and increases in spending for social programs.
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Below are five interesting facts about the new Canadian Prime Minister:
1. Trudeau says on his website "All my life I had wanted more than anything to become a dad."
"I was inspired by the extraordinary father I'd had, the example he set for me to follow," he added. His father was Canada's Prime Minister from 1968 to 1979 and 1980 to 1984.
Trudeau is married to Sophie Grégoire, a Canadian television host. They have three children.
2. Trudeau told candidates in Canada's Liberal Party they can't run as pro-life, essentially banning them from seeking office under the party banner.
The National Post in Canada reported that Trudeau was simply "weeding out" pro-life candidates:
"It's not for any government to legislate what happens — what a woman chooses to do with her body, and that is the bottom line," declared Trudeau. "I have made it clear that future candidates need to be completely understanding that they will be expected to vote pro-choice on any bills."
"That's part of the green-light process," he added. "We check on a number of issues: How do you feel about the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, how do you feel about same-sex marriage, how do you feel about pro-choice, where are you on that?"
The new policy allows for a pro-life incumbent in the party to remain pro-life, but it appears the left-wing party will no longer accept anti-abortion candidates.
The Catholic Church in Canada has been critical of Trudeau's comments on abortion and for what they say is his inability to allow for Liberal Party members to exercise their conscience on abortion.
3. Justin Trudeau fought a boxing charity match in 2012.
Trudeau won a three round match against then sitting Senator Patrick Brazeau. The match, which raised money for cancer research, was called a TKO in favor of Trudeau in the third round. Brazeau was considered the heavy favorite because of his martial arts background and former career in the Canadian special forces.
4. His brother Michael died in a 1998 avalanche.
Michael Trudeau, the youngest son of Pierre and Margaret Trudeau, died in an avalanche while skiing in the fall of 1998 in British Columbia. Trudeau was apparently pushed into a lake and drowned. His body has never been recovered.
5. The new prime minister starred in a Canadian film about World War I.
The film titled "The Great War," which aired on the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation in 2007, depicts the country's role in World War I.
Trudeau plays Talbot Mercer Papineau, a Canadian military officer and hero from Quebec who is the recipient of the Military Cross. Papineau was killed in Belgium in 1917 and his body was never identified.
