Maclean’s latest e-book: Justin Trudeau — A life lived in the spotlight

What does Canadian politics do about Justin Trudeau? What will he do for himself? What are the possibilities—and the limits—of a sunny personality, a magic name and a polarized electorate?

The member of Parliament for Papineau, Que., is 41 years old and has been in elected politics since 2008. He has a modest CV of accomplishments from his days before he entered politics. But that is an odd thing to say, of course, because Justin Trudeau has been in politics, in one way or another, since the day he entered the world.

He has never known a life that wasn’t public. His birth on Christmas Day, 1971, to Margaret Trudeau and her husband, prime minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau, was front-page news. He grew up while a nation discussed the breakup of his parents’ marriage and watched him and his brothers at play and on the campaign trail. Years later, Canadians grieved along with him when his brother Michel and, later, his father died.

Throughout those decades, some of Maclean’s finest reporters—Peter C. Newman, Paul Wells, John Geddes, Aaron Wherry, Jonathon Gatehouse, Scott Feschuk, to name only a few—have watched Justin Trudeau, too. We covered his eulogy at his father’s funeral and were first to report when he began talking about a run for the House of Commons. Fifty weeks ago, we suggested the Liberals should consider him as their next leader. We have covered every step of his campaign, asking hard questions.

Those stories are collected here for the first time, along with photo essays that illustrate a vivid evocation of a life lived under the gaze of millions, for $2.99 until May 3 (afterwards, for $3.99.)

Buy the e-book here.