Sophie Grégoire-Trudeau

Sophie Grégoire
Spouse of the Prime Minister of Canada
Assumed office
November 4, 2015
Preceded by Laureen Harper
Personal details
Born Marie-Lyne-Sophie Grégoire
(1975-04-24) April 24, 1975
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Nationality Canadian
Political party Liberal
Spouse(s) Justin Trudeau (m. 2005)
Children Xavier, Ella-Grace, and Hadrien Trudeau
Residence Rideau Cottage
Alma mater Université de Montréal
Profession Media personality
Religion Roman Catholic

Marie-Lyne-Sophie Grégoire (French pronunciation: ​[sɔfi gʁegwaʁ]; born April 24, 1975), also known as Sophie Grégoire-Trudeau,[1][2] is the wife of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.[3] She was a Canadian television host and was involved in charity work and public speaking, focusing mainly on women's issues.

Early life and education

Grégoire was born on April 24, 1975, in Montreal, Quebec,[4] the only child of Jean Grégoire, a stockbroker, and Estelle Blais, a Franco-Ontarian nurse.[5][6][7] Her family lived north of the city, in Sainte-Adèle,[5] until relocating to Montreal when she was four years old.[8] She was raised thereafter in Montreal's Mount Royal suburb, where she was a classmate and childhood friend of Michel Trudeau, the youngest son of Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau and brother of Grégoire's future husband, Justin Trudeau.[5]

Grégoire has stated that her "childhood was a happy one", noting that she was a good student who made friends easily and loved sports and the outdoors.[8] However, beginning around the age of 17, she struggled with bulimia nervosa.[8][9] The problem lasted into her early 20s, when she revealed the illness to her parents and subsequently began a two-year period of recovery; she credits therapy, the support of her loved ones, and yoga with her recovery from the disease.[9][10]

Grégoire attended high school at the private Pensionnat du Saint-Nom-de-Marie in Outremont.[11] She subsequently attended the Collège Jean-de-Brébeuf before studying commerce at McGill University, intending to follow her father's career path,[12] but soon switched to communications, and ultimately graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Communications from the Université de Montréal.[12]

Career and charity work

Grégoire's first job was as a receptionist and assistant at an advertising firm. She was promoted to an account manager, but after three years of working in advertisement, public relations, and sales,[13] she decided to attend radio and television school, where she immediately knew, "I had found my calling".[8] After completing her studies there, Grégoire got a job in a newsroom, writing the news ticker. A lover of culture, arts, and films, when she became aware of an opening at Quebec television station LCN for an entertainment reporter, she applied and was successful in obtaining the position.[8][13] In addition to serving as an entertainment reporter for LCN's daily Showbiz segment, she contributed to segments on Salut Bonjour Weekend, Clin d'œil, and Bec et Museau for TVA, and hosted Canal Évasion's Escales de Rêves and Canal Z's Teksho. Grégoire also served as co-host on CKMF Radio's morning shows and contributed to Radio-Canada's Coup de Pouce.[13] Additionally, she worked in the mid-2000s as a personal shopper for upscale department store Holt Renfrew.[5]

eTalk

In 2005, Grégoire attended a charity function where she met several CTV Television Network employees. This led to her being hired in September 2005 as a reporter for eTalk, CTV's Canadian entertainment news show.[8] She served until 2010 as eTalk's Quebec correspondent, and focused her reporting on the philanthropy and activism of celebrities.[8][14][15]

Charity

Grégoire is herself actively involved in charity work, volunteering for several Canadian charities and non-profit organizations, often by acting as a spokeswoman or hosting events.[16] Her causes include Sheena's Place[16] and BACA, both of which assist those suffering from eating disorders;[11] La Maison Bleue, a drop-in centre for at-risk pregnant mothers;[14] Dove's "Pay Beauty Forward" campaign and Self-Esteem Fund;[17] Girls for the Cure;[16] the Canadian Cancer Association;[16] the Canadian Mental Health Association;[16] the Women's Heart and Stroke Association;[16] and WaterCan.[16] As part of her work with WaterCan, which aims to alleviate global poverty by providing clean water to underdeveloped countries, Grégoire travelled to Ethiopia in October 2006 with her mother-in-law, Margaret Trudeau, who is the honorary president of the organization.[18] Their trip was featured in a CTV documentary, "A Window Opens: Margaret and Sophie in Ethiopia", which aired in May 2007.[19]

Grégoire is the national ambassador for Plan Canada's "Because I am a Girl" initiative,[16][20][21] and the official spokesperson for The Shield of Athena, which helps women and children dealing with domestic violence.[4][16] Grégoire also works as a professional public speaker, focusing primarily on women's issues.[4]

Personal life

Grégoire with her husband Justin Trudeau in September 2008, during her second pregnancy

Grégoire first met Justin Trudeau, the eldest son of Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, when they were both children growing up in Montreal, where Grégoire was a classmate and childhood friend of the youngest Trudeau son, Michel.[5] Grégoire and Trudeau reconnected as adults in June 2003, when they were assigned to co-host a charity ball, and began dating several months later.[5][22] They became engaged in October 2004,[5] and married on May 28, 2005, in a Catholic ceremony at Montreal's Sainte-Madeleine d'Outremont Church.[23] They have three children: Xavier James Trudeau (born October 18, 2007),[24] Ella-Grace Margaret Trudeau (born February 5, 2009),[25] and Hadrien Grégoire Trudeau (born February 28, 2014).[26][27]

Grégoire is reported to have introduced her brother-in-law Alexandre to his future wife Zoë Bedos.[28]

After her husband became a Member of Parliament for Montreal's Papineau riding in 2008, Grégoire continued to live in their Montreal home with their children, while Trudeau stayed at a hotel in Ottawa during the week.[14][29] In June 2013, two months after Trudeau became the leader of the Liberal Party of Canada, the couple sold their home in Montreal's Côte-des-Neiges neighbourhood and began living in a rented home in the Rockcliffe Park area of Ottawa.[29]

Grégoire's husband became the Prime Minister of Canada on November 4, 2015, after a majority victory over former Prime Minister and then main opponent, Stephen Harper.

Grégoire is fluent in French, English, and Spanish.[21] She became a certified yoga instructor in 2012.[20][21]

Smile Back At Me

On January 18, 2016, Grégoire made the impromptu decision to sing a work she composed, entitled "Smile Back at Me" at the end of a speech in honour of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day at Ottawa City Hall.[30][31] Mike Strobel, of the Toronto Sun, said the crowd gave her a standing ovation.[32] Toronto Star pop music critic Ben Rayner said the song was "out of pitch" and "cast serious doubt upon her musical judgment".[33] In Maclean's, Michael Barclay described the song as "fine", although not designed to be sung a capella, and that Grégoire's voice was "surprisingly strong".[34] Remixed versions of the song were released online afterward.[35][36]

References

  1. ↑ Kingston, Anne (27 November 2015). "Sophie Grégoire-What? It may be 2015, but not for political wives". Maclean's. Retrieved 27 November 2015.
  2. ↑ "About Sophie Grégoire". Retrieved 4 November 2015.
  3. ↑ https://www.readability.com/articles/2exrmlpp
  4. 1 2 3 Radia, Andy (April 15, 2013). "Sophie Gregoire: the woman behind Justin Trudeau". Yahoo News Canada. Retrieved August 23, 2013.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 George, Lianne (May 31, 2005). "When Justin met Sophie". Macleans. Retrieved August 23, 2013.
  6. ↑ Petrowski, Nathalie (April 22, 2013). "Sophie Sophie Grégoire: l'aventure commence". La Presse. Retrieved October 27, 2015.
  7. ↑ "Mr. and Mrs. Jean Gregoire". The Ottawa Journal. October 26, 1967. Retrieved November 8, 2015.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Diamond, Erica (October 5, 2011). "EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: Erica Diamond Sits Down With Sophie Grégoire Trudeau". Women on the Fence. Retrieved August 23, 2013.
  9. 1 2 "Sophie Gregoire-Trudeau says she's 'a healthy woman'". Windsor Star. September 11, 2008. Retrieved August 23, 2013.
  10. ↑ White, Nancy J. (April 10, 2013). "Sophie Grégoire raising awareness for eating disorders". Toronto Star. Retrieved August 23, 2013.
  11. 1 2 "Eating disorders: Sophie Gregoire lends her own story". Montreal Gazette. Canada.com. November 7, 2006. Retrieved August 23, 2013.
  12. 1 2 "Sophie Grégoire, Justin Trudeau's Wife, Full of Surprises". Huffington Post Canada. December 20, 2012. Retrieved August 23, 2013.
  13. 1 2 3 "Sophie Grégoire-Trudeau wears Marie Saint Pierre". The Heart Truth. February 2008. Retrieved August 23, 2013.
  14. 1 2 3 Hayashi, Yuki (2010). "Sophie Grégoire-Trudeau: Mama with a Mission". Canadian Families. Retrieved August 23, 2013.
  15. ↑ "CTV Names Quebec Media Personality Sophie Grégoire To eTalk Daily Team". Bell Canada Enterprises – News Releases. September 5, 2005. Retrieved August 23, 2013.
  16. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "Sophie Grégoire-Trudeau credits expert and family support, broadened awareness and therapy in aiding eating disorder recovery at the 12th annual Sheena's Place Breakfast presented by Scotiabank". Yahoo News Canada. April 10, 2013. Retrieved August 23, 2013.
  17. ↑ Hampson, Sarah (September 29, 2008). "She brings her own star quality to the Trudeau legacy". Globe and Mail. Retrieved August 23, 2013.
  18. ↑ "Ethiopia trip an eye-opening journey for Trudeaus". CTV News. May 11, 2007. Retrieved August 23, 2013.
  19. ↑ "Special Friends: Margaret and Sophie's Trip". WaterCan. 2007. Retrieved August 23, 2013.
  20. 1 2 "Sophie Grégoire-Trudeau: The Momterview". This Mom Loves (blog). September 21, 2012. Retrieved August 23, 2013.
  21. 1 2 3 Kalbfuss, Elisabeth (April 2013). "A talk with Sophie Grégoire-Trudeau". Montreal Families. Retrieved August 23, 2013.
  22. ↑ Jane Taber (2004-10-30). "News for the Mulroneys is simply grand". Globe and Mail. Retrieved 2015-11-01. If not for her it's entirely possible that Justin Trudeau would never have met Sophie Grégoire and then there would be no engagement, no wedding and no happy ever after.
  23. ↑ "Justin Trudeau weds". CBC News. May 30, 2005. Retrieved August 23, 2013.
  24. ↑ Gordon, Sean (October 19, 2007). "Trudeau clan adds baby Xavier to its ranks". Toronto Star. Retrieved August 23, 2013.
  25. ↑ "Justin and Sophie Trudeau Welcome Daughter Ella-Grace". People. February 7, 2009. Retrieved August 23, 2013.
  26. ↑ "'Welcome to the world': Justin Trudeau and wife Sophie Grégoire name new son Hadrian". National Post. February 28, 2014. Retrieved February 28, 2014.
  27. ↑ "That's Hadrien Trudeau: new baby, new spelling". Toronto Star. March 13, 2014. Retrieved March 15, 2014.
  28. ↑ Dominic Berry (2006-07-15). "Summer attack of neo-Trudeaumania .. all just a sign of perfect storm to come?". Counter weights. Retrieved 2015-10-26. “Trudeau and Zoe Bedos have been together for a few months. She was apparently introduced to Alexandre by Sophie Gregoire, wife of Trudeau’s older brother Justin.”
  29. 1 2 McGregor, Glen (August 10, 2013). "Trudeau rents Ottawa home in Rockcliffe, returning to his childhood stomping grounds". Ottawa Citizen. Retrieved September 9, 2013.
  30. ↑ "Sophie Grégoire-Trudeau sings song she wrote for her daughter". CBC News. Retrieved 2016-01-19.
  31. ↑ "'Smile back at me': Sophie Grégoire-Trudeau breaks into song - Macleans.ca". Macleans. Retrieved 2016-01-19.
  32. ↑ Mike Strobel (2016-01-19). "Science behind Sophie Gregoire-Trudeau's ditty". Toronto Sun. And it worked. She got a standing ovation. Now everyone is oohing and ahhing over her performance. Maclean’s magazine critic Michael Barclay detected “a bit of Sarah McLachlan” in the performance.
  33. ↑ "Sophie Grégoire-Trudeau hits news highs —and lows with impromptu song". The Hamilton Spectator. Retrieved 2016-01-19.
  34. ↑ Michael Barclay (2016-01-18). "That Sophie Grégoire-Trudeau song: Six things you might be wondering about: Is Sophie Grégoire-Trudeau’s song any good? And where did that come from? What you need to know about her performance". Macleans' magazine. Retrieved 2016-01-19. Naturally, the cynics descended, of both the partisan and nonpartisan variety, on a prominent woman daring to sing out loud, on a white woman singing a personal song about her family at an event celebrating a black civil rights icon, on the Prime Minister’s wife appearing unscripted and whimsical. But let’s try to be objective here, and figure out what just happened.
  35. ↑ "Sophie Grégoire-Trudeau's song gets the club banger remix". Montreal Gazette. Retrieved 2016-01-19.
  36. ↑ "Internet smiles back with remix of Sophie Gregoire-Trudeau's song". CTVNews. Retrieved 2016-01-19.
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