Justin Trudeau: Is he just like us?

Talking ’bout my generation

When he is sworn in as Canada’s 23rd Prime Minister November 4, Justin Trudeau will assume the reins of power and speak for Generation X — but how much of an X-er is he? We made a checklist.

By Katherine Monk

Canada’s Prime Minister-designate has already been called the voice of his generation, and at the age of 43, that places him in the middle of Generation X — which only seems fitting given he’s the child of a West Vancouver dynasty, another one of Douglas Coupland’s obsessions. But as an X-er, I wanted to make a checklist of the traits that define our oft-cited but little understood generation, to see if our new voice will be speaking for us, and the cluster of people and experience that make us who we are.

Justin Trudeau: Is he just like us?
He grew up when Pierre Trudeau was the Prime Minister.
He looks good in a suit, but not like he was born in one.
He’s into being a parent.
He’s got a kid named Xavier.
The older generation thought he was an underachiever, and would amount to little.
He’s been known to swear.
He’s a child of divorce.
He’s inhaled. Paused. And exhaled.
He’s got a kid named Ella-Grace.
He wasn’t sure what he wanted to do, and after being a teacher, went into his dad’s business.
He’s a product of David Suzuki, Sesame Street, Walt Disney and The Beachcombers.
He knows what Katimavik is, did it, and even sat on the board.
His dad helped.
He’s got a kid named Hadrien.
He’s in his 40s, and circumstance is forcing him to move back into his childhood home with his family. But only after the renovations.

The parts of Justin Trudeau that may represent the best of what our generation has to offer:

He’s not into money-first.
He has nothing to prove.
He’ll work to reduce his carbon footprint.
He’ll use social media for good instead of evil.
He’ll be defined by the flat-front trouser.
He’ll continue to embrace “sunny ways” through hard times.
He’ll fix that thing his dad broke by mistake and never admitted to.