Margaret Trudeau is a Canadian icon, celebrated both for her role in the public eye and as a respected mental-health issues advocate. From becoming a prime minister’s wife at a young age, to the loss of both her son and her former husband, to living with bi-polar disorder, Margaret tirelessly shares her personal stories to remind others of the importance of nurturing the body, mind, and spirit. Her new book, The Time of Your Life: Choosing a Vibrant, Joyful Future, has recently debuted, and Global News sat down with her to talk about it:
Margaret Trudeau has done many things in her life; it would be difficult to get away with calling her boring.
Once known as a wild child, the former wife of former prime minister Pierre Trudeau raised some eyebrows when she published a book about old age.
True to her nature, however, she covers such topics as senior dating, grey divorce, money, children and, of course, politics.
“I’m no political pundit,” she told Tom Clark, “but don’t you think this demographic, these women have quite a bit of political clout? If we all got out and voted, we could change the government.”
In an interview on The West Block, Trudeau said she was inspired to write the book following her mother’s death, which left her feeling very “un-tethered,” and the experience of visiting a good friend with Alzheimer’s.
“Then I started asking of my other friends, about their health, about their feelings about their future,” she said.
Her book isn’t about staving off the inevitable — no, she accepts that all among us age.
“This book is more like a wake-up call and to be mindful,” she said. “I’m going to be advocating that we keep ourselves so happy and vibrant and alive by healthy food, healthy night sleep, [getting] your mind sorted.”
And, yes, her son (and Liberal leader) Justin Trudeau has read the book.
“Justin is a speed reader, so he nipped through it in few hours and was really delighted that I’d been able to articulate the needs we’re all going to be facing,” she said.
When asked if she had any advice for mothers with a child who wants to get in to politics Trudeau said she would first congratulate that parent on a job well done.
“It’s to serve to be in government and people should understand that no matter what we think in a partisan way about one candidate or the other or one leader or the other. They’re all serving and they’re all trying to build this country and make it and keep it as the freest country in the world.”
Her message to all Canadians: “participate. Find out who is running and what they stand for and get involved. It’s our country.”