Jon Sterngass - Justin Trudeau

Pierre Trudeau in his office in Ottawa with U.S. President Richard Nixon on April 14, 1972.

Source: Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum

Yet Justin Trudeau did not fall naturally into politics. For more than ten years after he graduated from college, he intentionally avoided the political arena. He worked as a bouncer and a snowboard instructor, and taught in schools in western Canada. He struggled for years to convince other people, as well as himself, that he was an individual in his own right. Justin feared that a career in politics would ensure that he would always be measured against his father. "The association with my father was never a reason for me to get involved in politics," he wrote. "It was rather, a reason for me to avoid entering the political arena."

When Justin Trudeau finally entered politics, it turned out that he was indeed compared to his father. Some writers called him "Pierre light," claiming he had his father's appeal without any of his intellectual accomplishments. Prime Minister Stephen Harper said, "The next election isn't about electing the next winner of Canadian Idol. It is about choosing someone who can boost economic growth."

Trudeau was not everyone's favorite politician but he did have a lot going for him. He had a real ability to connect with voters in an informal setting. He did not seem to mind having his photograph taken with strangers or shaking hands. He was raised speaking both French and English and his family had roots in both eastern and western Canada. He was a health enthusiast who like boxing and judo. He was extremely photogenic, and of course, he had a famous last name.

When he was elected prime minister of Canada in 2015, critics intensified their attacks. Opponents accused him of being arrogant and conceited. They complained that Trudeau only cared about his image and staged public events based on how well they would be received in the newspapers and on social media. Conservatives said Trudeau was just an empty suit with nice hair, that the emperor had no clothes. One Canadian wrote, "There isn't a leader in the world with a more pathetic resume than Justin Sunny Ways Trudeau."

Trudeau tried to stay positive in the face of these attacks. He said, "The [Qubcois] Bloc wants to divide and destroy our Canada. The Conservatives want to divide us on issues of social justice. They want to divide us on the environment...endangering the future of our children. They want to divide us on Canada's role in the world...They want to divide us...I want to unite us."

It is difficult and unfair to write a biography of a living person, especially one who, as of 2018, had been prime minister of Canada for little more than two years. Who can predict what will happen next? This book is the story of Justin Trudeau's life and career...so far.

Justin Trudeau was born on December 25, 1971. He was the oldest of the three children born to Prime Minster Pierre Trudeau and his wife, Margaret Sinclair Trudeau. Justin was only the second child in Canadian history to be born to a prime minister in office. Trudeau's younger brothersAlexandre [Sacha] (b. 1973) and Michel (b. 1975)were the third and fourth.