Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says he is “very proud” of the active public role played by his wife, Sophie Grégoire Trudeau, and his office wants to ensure she continues her work on behalf of Canadians.Cliff Owen/The Associated Press
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says he is "very proud" of the active public role played by his wife, Sophie Grégoire Trudeau, and his office wants to ensure she continues her work on behalf of Canadians.
And while he agrees Ms. Grégoire Trudeau should "absolutely" have the resources that come with that, the Prime Minister stopped short of promising additional means to help his wife do her work – something she has publicly requested.
Addressing Ms. Grégoire Trudeau's public persona for the first time, Mr. Trudeau praised his wife's contributions to social causes, which include women's equality, maternity issues and eating-disorder awareness.
"I'm very proud of what Sophie has done for a long time now for the cause of women, issues that affect children, a number of charitable causes across the country," Mr. Trudeau told reporters on Wednesday at a news conference marking the end of the parliamentary sitting.
"She continues to have a lot to offer, not just to government but to Canadians. And we are working to ensure that she will be able to continue the work that she is doing."
But Mr. Trudeau stressed that parliamentary families should be able to carve out their own roles in the public eye, if they so choose.
"We also recognize this should be a choice. We should not impose on future prime ministers and their spouses a particular model. I think that people will understand that different families will have different solutions, different capacities, and the need to keep a level of flexibility to find a way to serve," he said.
A spokesman for the Prime Minister's Office said it continues to explore options to help Ms. Grégoire Trudeau. PMO officials currently provide additional assistance, such as accompanying Ms. Grégoire Trudeau to events, when her assistant, Natalie St-Denis, can't attend.
"We are continuing to look at new ways to make sure she is supported at the official events she takes part in, as well as making sure that correspondence from Canadians across the country is triaged and answered in a timely manner," spokesman Olivier Duchesneau said in an e-mail. "Preliminary discussions are currently taking place on potential solutions to handle the high volume of requests, but no decision has been made."
In addition to speaking at a number of events for women, Ms. Grégoire Trudeau is also the spokeswoman for FitSpirit, an organization that promotes healthy lifestyles for girls 12 to 17, and does volunteer work with indigenous youth.
Ms. Grégoire Trudeau told daily newspaper Le Soleil in May that she and her sole staffer can't meet the demands of being a high-profile, in-demand speaker.
"I'd like to be everywhere, but I can't," Ms. Grégoire Trudeau said in the interview. "I have three children at home and a husband who is Prime Minister. I need help. I need a team to help me serve people."
Ms. Grégoire Trudeau's initial request for help drew the ire of opposition parties. The Conservatives said it's up to Mr. Trudeau to explain why any additional resources would be provided, arguing Laureen Harper fulfilled her duty with only one assistant, while the NDP said the request speaks to the "disconnect" between the Prime Minister's wife and Canadian women. At the time, the Trudeaus had access to two taxpayer-funded nannies at home, but have since said they would pay for one nanny themselves.
With a report from Daniel Leblanc
Laura Stone