— Feature, Musings —08.02.2023 12:53 PM
My latest: leave them alone
Leave the unelected ones out of it.
Many of us – most of us, if you believe the statistics – have been through it. It is sad. It is painful. It is like death without dying, almost.
And the last thing anyone needs, when going through a marital split, is to have the whole world watching.
But make no mistake: the whole world is indeed watching. Justin and Sophie Trudeau’s simultaneous and identically-worded statement, announcing their separation after almost two decades together, rocketed around the globe within minutes,
Top story on CNN World: “Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and wife Sophie are separating.” ABC News: “Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau separating from wife, Sophie.” The BBC: Canada’s PM Justin Trudeau and wife Sophie to separate.”
Everyone has read the statement, by now, but this part should be seen and remembered: “As always, we remain a close family with deep love and respect for each other and for everything we have built and will continue to build…For the well-being of our children, we ask that you respect our and their privacy.”
And the children, here, are not politicians. They are not high-powered bureaucrats. They are just kids – all under the age of 15.
Their father stirs up strong emotions, pro or con. After nearly a decade in power, he (understandably, predictably) has made decisions that are controversial. Sometimes, his decisions – as we all saw during the Ottawa occupation last year – produce very, very strong reactions.
But the folks who hate Trudeau still shouldn’t go after his kids or Sophie. They are not elected people. They do not wield great power. They are just people, now dealing with something that is always sad without limit.
So, we need to heed those words at the end: “We ask that you respect our and their privacy.”
There will those who ignore that, of course. The Internet is already surging with wild conspiracy theories and cruel speculation. None of it will be repeated here.
And, yes, in the days ahead there will discussion – hopefully moderate and respectful – about the political ramifications of Justin Trudeau, single Dad, leading his Liberal Party into another electoral battle. Will he do that? Can he do that? Should he do that?
All of that, and more, will be discussed and debated, from coast to coast.
But for now, this is just one of many, many separations happening in Canada – most of which lead to the 50,000-odd divorces that happen every year. Out 100,000 or so marriages that take place every year in this country. Half end.
For those of us who have been though it, the Trudeau announcement conjures up memories of near-limitless despair and misery. Even if you dislike Justin Trudeau, you have to give him that much: today is one of the worst days there can be. On that, trust those of us who have gone through it.
So, let’s leave them alone on this day, and leave the political speculation to another day. There will be lots of time for that.
Today, instead, let’s give them the privacy that they asked for.
And that they deserve.
Their personal life is none of my business. Must be a slow media day around the Globe.
I wish them and their children the best. One of the paradigms in Social Work is, it’s better to come from a broken family than to live in one. That’s a hard truth, but the sun always comes up.
48 million hits if you google Sophie+Justin+separation. Nothing on the PBS Newshour last night though. Kind of refreshing.
A good article…I would spare the PM’s family under any circumstances.
I’m not completely surprised because there were rumours the marriage was in trouble. What surprises me a bit, though, is the timing. I didn’t expect the separation to happen before the next election. I hope the media and the public respect their privacy.
Given how he’s abused women publicly, the reasonable and honourable thing for Justin Trudeau to do is to step aside. Canada needs a leader who is not challenged with such interpersonal relationship issues. This is not to say that past PMs were perfect, but that this PM is in a whole ‘nother level.
He’s a public figure, the rest of the family is not — and that should dictate the standard on how this latest issue is reported.
Have to say one thing. Totally agree on the kids. Sophie not so much. She was a public figure. She was a willing prop in this fraud otherwise known as his tenure as PM.
https://macleans.ca/politics/ottawa/behind-the-scenes-of-the-trudeaus-vogue-photo-shoot/
The kids weren’t and that had/has to be very tough. I just don’t know how you thread that needle.
It should go without saying…..this is personal and private, and tragic. I completely agree; give them their space and respect their privacy.
Of all the news stories of 2023, we can expect this one to provoke a barrage of intelligent, well reasoned commentary from all sides of the political spectrum.
Common responses, upon hearing the separation news:
1. Always sad, when couples separate.
2. Their marriage was fake.
3. Folks are struggling to survive; this is hardly important.
4. When did they really separate?
I find no joy in this story and have, on numerous occasions expressed my sympathy for Ms. Gregoire. I think being a spouse of a prominent politician is a rotten job (and it is a job), but being the spouse of a lightning rod who attracts both positive and negative energy extends the misery substantially. Being used like a movie stand in, a prop to smile and hug upon demand is as demeaning as it gets.
One last observation. The Justin Trudeau media machine is cunning and calculating on the release of information. This public announcement isn’t even a late Friday media dump. It will drive the pundits crazy. WHY NOW?
Occam’s razor. Maybe one party involved in this left them no choice.
Agreed: one party had had enough.
Time to start over.
Some poor staffer that JT was exercising Droit Du Seigneur over?
WHY NOW?
Mulling that over this morning, my conclusion is that there is something in the wind that was going to expose a troubling marriage anyway. If so, getting ahead of an explosive story that would be hard to control is better than pretending that everything is rosy.
My prayers and empathy for everyone affected, especially their children.
“This public announcement isn’t even a late Friday media dump. It will drive the pundits crazy. WHY NOW?”
Thursday before the August long weekend? I would argue that’s the Canadian version of a Friday media dump.
Tragic??
“Prayers”? Why then, does your “god” even allow divorces? Will “god” fulfill your prayers?
“Why then, does your “god” even allow divorces?”
For the same reason He allows internet trolls. If he wiped out anyone who was not a perfect follower there would be nobody left.
Max,
You won’t know what my God will do unless you try. Obviously.
Thanks Warren. Extremely well said.
Yup leave them and the story alone
Who remembers the early days and mainstream media drawing parallels with the Kennedys and Camelot. The want of having Sophie bare the title of “First Lady.” They both leveraged it to political advantage duping the fawning public. A private matter? I think not.
Fawning?
Try gushing.
She was on the “WE” payroll, no?
Justin Trudeau is a multimillionaire (via his trust fund)
Justin Trudeau’s income has PM puts him in the top 1% of all Canadians.
So will taxpayers be on the hook for providing accommodation for both Justin and Sophie now that they are separated?
Given Justin’s sense of entitlement, and that Justin expensed eight boats at Harrington Lake to taxpayers, I suspect taxpayers will be on the hook for both Justin’s and Sophie’s accommodations.
Peter,
She is moving out of Rideau Cottage. She and the children should be staying at Rideau Cottage and HE should be moving to 7 Rideau Gate. That would have been the classy thing to do.
No one is going after the unelected children. This is Canada. But she was very much a public, political figure through the Reign of Justin. We can skip the fawning sympathy and personal attacks, but you ought to know more than anyone Warren – if you jump into politics, you get the “pros” and the “cons”. Need I remind anyone here, that Gerald Butts was also “unelected”. Should “we, the people” have “left him alone”?
Max,
Butts was a political staffer not subject to public service legislation. Ditto for the current genius Telford. Grégoire is a spouse. Sure, she attended some political events but there is a distinction there, or at least there should be.
Ronald, she was a full on prop. I don’t remember any Vogue covers with Laureen, Sheila or Aline. Mila operated like Sophie. How soon we forget how she was treated. Can you imagine if they would have split! It would have been a total shitshow. I am trying to think of why they would be treated differently. It will come to me.
Warren, quite frankly, considering the vile things that the TruAnons are saying about Anaida Poilievre, I’m less inclined to give a shit about the Trudeaus or their divorce.
I’m just sick of his face and his malignant supporters.
Pedant,
Pierre knows that the Mother of All Political Reckonings is coming for HimselfTM and Company. The political scales will be rebalanced with a new party finally coming into office to clean up the Trudeau mess. All Poilièvre has to do is bide his time and keep the faith. Major change in Ottawa is on the way.