When Justin Trudeau said he doesn’t read newspapers or watch the news.
Justin Trudeau has lived his entire life under the public microscope, yet he has maintained a sense of detachment, and it is clear now more than ever that after resigning as Canadian Prime Minister, Trudeau has turned away from politics.
Although he is frequently in public life, he rarely comments on political issues. This may take a person back to where he was when he entered politics; He was a young man living in the shadow of his father, Pierre Trudeau. After his death in 2000, Justin gave a stirring televised eulogy at his father’s state funeral, concluding his speech with “Je t’aime, papa,” before laying his head on his father’s flag-draped coffin.
Immediately, talk spread about the younger Trudeau entering the world of politics.In 2001, in an article Justin Trudeau wrote for the Globe and Mail, he admitted or feigned ignorance of current affairs. “I don’t read newspapers, I don’t watch the news,” he wrote. “I think if something important happens, someone will tell me.”
The rise and fall of Justin Trudeau
When Trudeau entered politics, comparisons with his father, former Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, were inevitable.
Pierre Trudeau dominated Canadian politics from the late 1960s to the early 1980s, becoming a symbol of Canadian federalism and constitutional reform. Not only did Justin inherit his father’s famous title, but he also inherited the ability to connect with audiences through public speaking and a friendly personality.
Before politics, he worked as a teacher and participated in youth and charitable initiatives.
Although critics described him as inexperienced and popular mainly because of his family name, Trudeau steadily built his political credentials after winning a seat in Parliament in 2008.His decisive breakthrough came in 2013 when he became leader of the Liberal Party. At that time, the liberals were in crisis. The party suffered its worst ever electoral defeat in 2011, finishing third behind the Conservatives and the New Democratic Party.
Many political observers believe it will take years for the Liberals to recover. However, Trudeau revitalized the party almost immediately. He attracted thousands of new members, revitalized fundraising and delivered a message of optimism that contrasted sharply with what he portrayed as the more cautious, security-focused policy of Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper.The 2015 federal election became Trudeau’s finest political moment.
Campaigning under the slogan “Real Change”, he promised middle-class tax reforms, greater openness in government, major investments in infrastructure, action on climate change and a more welcoming approach to immigration. He also pledged that the 2015 election would be Canada’s last under a majoritarian electoral system, raising expectations for democratic reform.
Most strikingly, he led the Liberals from third place in Parliament to majority government – one of the greatest electoral comebacks in Canadian history.Trudeau’s first years in office gained him widespread international attention. He appointed Canada’s first gender-balanced government, and famously responded to a journalist’s question about why there were equal numbers of men and women by saying, “Because it’s 2015.” This remark quickly became symbolic of his commitment to gender equality. His government accepted tens of thousands of Syrian refugees, promoted Canada’s image as a welcoming nation and championed diversity and multiculturalism.
Internationally, Trudeau has fostered an image of Canada as a progressive middle power committed to climate action, international cooperation and liberal democratic values.Trudeau’s first big blow came in 2019 with the SNC-Lavalin case. Allegations have emerged that senior officials in Trudeau’s office pressured Attorney General Jody Wilson-Raybould to intervene in a criminal trial involving engineering giant SNC-Lavalin.
Wilson-Raybould resigned from the government, testified before Parliament and described inappropriate political pressure. The controversy dominated national headlines, led to a Cabinet resignation, and led the federal ethics commissioner to conclude that Trudeau had improperly attempted to influence the attorney general.
For a leader who campaigned on the basis of integrity and accountable government, the scandal has greatly damaged his credibility.The COVID-19 pandemic briefly changed Trudeau’s political fortunes. His government has taken unprecedented emergency measures, including income support programs for workers and businesses affected by the closures. Initially, many Canadians rallied behind the government’s response, and Trudeau’s approval ratings improved.In 2022, the Conservatives chose a new leader, Pierre Poilievre. Wiliver had no interest in polite politics. He has spent two straight years attacking Trudeau as an out-of-touch elitist who has ruined the country. By 2024, the public was completely exhausted with Trudeau. Liberals began losing elections in areas they had controlled for decades. Then, in late 2024, his top ally and finance minister, Chrystia Freeland, resigned.
Members of his party began to turn against him behind closed doors. In 2025, he announced his resignation and gradually moved away from politics.
