Tessa Lloyd’s debut book, Forty Fathers, is a collection of interviews with prominent Canadian dads, candidly exploring modern fatherhood in all it’s complexity, from toxic masculinity to divorce and gender transition. In this excerpt, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau explores how his own father influenced the relationship he has with his three children today.
Justin Trudeau was born on December 25, 1971, the eldest of three boys. He grew up at 24 Sussex Drive while his father, Pierre Elliott Trudeau, was prime minister. His parents split up in 1977. Justin has degrees from McGill University and the University of British Columbia. He worked as a teacher before entering politics in 2007. He has been prime minister of Canada since October 2015. He lives in Ottawa with his wife, Sophie Grégoire Trudeau, and their three children, Xavier, Ella-Grace and Hadrien. Photo: Tessa Lloyd
What my brothers and I got from my father was the purest intent and complete and absolute love. I?m of two minds about whether that means ?unconditional?: I knew that there was nothing I could do that would make him love me less, but at the same time I felt the pressure to do the things that I thought would make my father happier, more proud, so that he would love me more.
When my parents? marriage was breaking up, I remember the fighting. The differences between my parents were obvious to me: I could see when my mum was in pain, but my father didn?t show it, even to us. He was an extremely ...