Canadian PM Justin Trudeau’s comments reveal marriage was ‘not perfect’

Video clips and comments have re-emerged following Justin Trudeau’s split from his wife. Photo / AP

Awkward video clips and telling comments have reemerged amid Justin Trudeau’s split from his wife Sophie Gregoire and it seems the writing was on the wall for longer than we thought, reports news.com.au.

This week, the couple announced they were separating after 18 years of marriage.

Trudeau and Gregoire revealed that after “many meaningful and difficult conversations”, they had decided to part ways.

“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.”

Brian Lilley of the Toronto Sun said the general response to the break-up announcement was “I thought it happened years ago”.

Lilley revealed that there had been a “persistent rumour” about the state of the Trudeaus’ marriage, including that the Prime Minister “had been involved with other people”. However, there was no evidence to support the speculation.

Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his wife Sophie Gregoire have announced they are to go their separate ways. Photo / AP

Now, the Trudeaus’ own actions and comments have thrown their relationship into the spotlight, with some believing the break up could lessen Trudeau’s re-election prospects.

Awkward video clip

In 2020, the couple recorded an extremely awkward video message for Canada Day from Ottawa’s Food Bank Farm.

In the version posted on the Prime Minister’s YouTube channel, the couple speak in the two official languages of Canada - English and French - and sign off the clip saying “Happy Canada Day”.

However, in an extended version of the video online, the camera remains on the pair, pausing for 15 seconds while awaiting further instruction.

Grinning in silence, the Prime Minister then leans in for a kiss. What is eye-opening is the way his wife pulls away and looks in the other direction following the brief peck.

The Canada Day 2020 clip had many an awkward moment. Photo / YouTube

While parts of the video are painfully awkward, other parts show the couple seemingly joking with each other.

A few years prior to the Canada Day interview, in 2014, the pair’s marriage was brought up while Trudeau was chatting about his memoir, Common Ground.

“Everyone knows how challenging it is to balance family responsibilities with a job that takes me across the country and working extremely hard,” he shared with Evan Solomon, a CBC reporter.

“There are times when she [Gregoire] hates my job and she hates me for loving my job.”

Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau with first lady Sophie Trudeau and their youngest son Hadrien. Photo / Getty Images

‘Coded language’ for an affair?

“Our marriage isn’t perfect, and we have had difficult ups and downs, yet Sophie remains my best friend, my partner, my love,” he said.

“We are honest with each other, even when it hurts.”

Solomon enquired as to whether that was “coded language for extramarital affairs”.

“No,” said Trudeau. “This is a conversation about the kinds of challenges that any real marriage goes through. Tremendous ups and downs, but as I say we are deeply in love and committed to each other and we continue to be.”

This wasn’t the last time the pair’s relationship problems came up in conversation.

Canadian Prime Minister and Liberal leader Justin Trudeau arrives at the poling station with his son Hadrian, his wife Sophie and daughter Ella-Grace in Montreal. Photo / AP

‘Dark, heavy storms’

Sophie Grégoire Trudeau, who formerly worked as a TV reporter in Quebec, reiterated in 2015 that wedded bliss was something she and her husband occasionally missed.

“I can tell you right away that no marriage is easy,” she shared with Canada’s Global News.

“I’m almost kind of proud of the fact that we’ve had hardship because we want authenticity; we want truth; we want to grow closer as individuals through our lifetime and we’re both dreamers and we want to be together for as long as we can.

“I’m happy that we had to go through that.”

Last year, Gregoire again addressed her marriage struggles on social media.

“We have navigated through sunny days, heavy storms, and everything in between and it ain’t over,” she said.

“Long-term relationships are challenging in so many ways. They demand constant work, flexibility, compromise, sacrifice, devotion, patience, effort, and so much more.

“None of us are perfect and so there is no perfect relationship.”

However, she concluded, “Love conquers all”.

While the Trudeaus were candid about their marriage troubles, they also were vocal about their peaks too. The two were snapped regularly while enjoying life together.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau kisses his wife Sophie after delivering his victory speech at his election night HQ. Photo / Getty Images

‘Persistent rumours’ about Trudeau

However, rumours of the Trudeaus’ marriage being on the rocks continued to run rampant.

“The rumours that the couple had split, long denied, had become reality,” said the Toronto Sun’s Lilley.

“Over the years, journalists had made polite inquiries about Trudeau and were told there was nothing to report,” he shared after the break-up announcement was released.

“There will be rumours about what caused [the separation], the persistent rumours that the PM is or has been involved with other people will go into overdrive.”

The speculation will “show up on social media — the same place that the Trudeaus announced their split”.

However, Lilley went on to say that it was a “personal matter” and the couple should be given the privacy they asked for in their shared statement.

Lilley went on to say that there would be legitimate questions as to what extent – if at all – Gregoire will continue to benefit from the public purse in the future.

Jamie Sarkonak, writing in The National Post, said Trudeau’s perceived image with voters as a family man could be tarnished by the break-up.

“He can’t live by example on the family file, because he can’t claim personal success on that front.”

However, Trudeau has some time to win over the public in his new his role as, if not strictly a single man, a man estranged from his wife.

The next Canadian election is in 2025. If he wins, it would mean Trudeau had secured more than a decade in office.