LILLEY: Rumours will spread like an Ontario wildfire after Trudeau's divorce
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“I thought it happened years ago.”
That was the immediate reaction from a group of non-political people I was sitting with when the news broke that Justin Trudeau was separating from his wife, Sophie. The rumours that the couple had split, long denied, had become reality.
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It was such a persistent rumour, but it was just that, a rumour. Over the years, journalists had made polite inquiries about Trudeau and were told there was nothing to report.
“Marriage is difficult, for everyone,” is the most I ever heard several years ago from a senior Trudeau person.
They were right and anyone in a marriage, or who has gone through a divorce, knows that all too well and can relate. Most of us don’t have to put out public statements, though, on the status of our relationship, which is what Justin Trudeau and Sophie Gregoire Trudeau did shortly after noon on Wednesday.
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“Sophie and I would like to share the fact that after many meaningful and difficult conversations we have made the decision to separate,” Trudeau’s statement said before asking for privacy for the well-being of the children.
The children deserve that, they deserve respect and privacy but of course, they won’t get it. Sophie deserves her privacy, as well, but she will be haunted and hounded by even more rumours now that the split has happened.
In addition to rumours about their split, there will be rumours about what caused it, the persistent rumours that the PM is or has been involved with other people will go into overdrive. While we tend not to focus on these issues in Canadian media, that doesn’t mean they won’t show up on social media — the same place that the Trudeaus announced their split.
Divorce and the break-up of a family is ugly enough on its own without people from the outside pushing their agendas by spreading rumours. Given Trudeau’s place in the public eye, it will happen nonetheless.
You can already see it in the comments below their respective announcements on the split.
There are legitimate questions to which Canadians will want answers, such as whether Sophie will be moving out of taxpayer-funded Rideau Cottage. When Justin’s parents separated while his father was still prime minister, his mother moved to a home not far from 24 Sussex Drive.
According to the CBC, which cited a source with knowledge of the arrangements, Sophie has moved to a nearby home in Ottawa, while the PM will remain at Rideau Cottage.
As reported earlier by Postmedia, a source confirmed that Sophie will no longer take on official duties or have government staff to manage her appearances.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau and Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau depart Westminster Abbey after the funeral service of Queen Elizabeth II on September 19, 2022 in London. Photo by Christopher Furlong /Getty Images
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, shares a moment with his wife Sophie Gregoire during the Liberal election night party in Montreal September 21, 2021. Photo by Christinne Muschi /REUTERS
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and wife Sophie Trudeau arrive to attend King Charles and Queen Camilla coronation ceremony at Westminster Abbey, in London, May 6, 2023. Photo by POOL /via REUTERS
TOPSHOT - Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his wife Sophie Gr?goire Trudeau greet US President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden as they arrive at Rideau Cottage, the Prime Ministers Residence, on March 23, 2023, in Ottawa, Canada. (Photo by Mandel NGAN / AFP) (Photo by MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images)
US President Joe Biden, First Lady Jill Biden, Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his wife Sophie Gregoire Trudeau arrive to attend a gala dinner at the Canadian Aviation and Space Museum in Ottawa, Canada, on March 24, 2023. (Photo by MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images)
Pope Francis (R) poses for photographs along with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau (C) and his wife Sophie Gregoire-Trudeau (L) at the end of a private audience at the Vatican on May 29, 2017. Ettore FERRARIETTORE FERRARI/AFP/Getty Images
Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau with his wife Sophie Trudeau arrive to attend a concert at the Elbphilharmonie philharmonic concert hall on the first day of the G20 economic summit on July 7, 2017 in Hamburg, Germany. (Photo by Morris MacMatzen/Getty Images)
Liberal leader Justin Trudeau arrives to cast his ballot in the 44th general federal election as he's joined by wife Sophie Gregoire-Trudeau, and children, Xavier, Ella-Grace and Hadrien in his riding of Papineau, Montreal on Monday, Sept. 20, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul Chiasson
Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his wife Sophie Gregoire speak on stage on stage during the Global Citizen Festival G20 benefit concert at the Barclaycard Arena in Hamburg, northern Germany on July 6, 2017 on the eve of the G20 summit. (RONNY HARTMANN/AFP via Getty Images)
In this file photo taken on June 08, 2018 Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau and his wife Sophie Gregoire Trudeau arrive for a welcome ceremony for G7 leaders on the first day of the summit in La Malbaie, Quebec. (Photo by GEOFF ROBINS/AFP via Getty Images)
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, third left, and his wife Sophie Gregoire Trudeau, left, make Rotis or Indian flat bread during their visit to Golden Temple, in Amritsar, India, Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2018. (AP Photo/Prabhjot Gill)
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Vancouver school-teaching days were three years over in 2005 when he and Sophie Gregoire extended their honeymoon at Anthony von Mandl’s Mission Hill Estate Winery. Photo by Malcolm Parry/Postmedia files
Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau (C), his wife Sophie Grégoire, and Queer Eye star Antoni Porowski, right, march in the Pride Parade in Montreal, August 19, 2018. (Christinne Muschi /Postmedia)
Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador (2-L) and Mexican First Lady Beatriz Gutierrez Muller (L) welcomed Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau (2-R) and his wife Sophie Grégoire (R) at Felipe Angeles International Airport in Santa Lucia, Mexico, on January 9, 2023. (Photo by CLAUDIO CRUZ/AFP via Getty Images)
Prince Charles, Prince of Wales, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, Justin Trudeau, Hadrien Trudeau and Sophie Grégoire Trudeau watch Canada Day celebrations on Parliament Hill during a 3 day official visit to Canada on July 1, 2017 in Ottawa. (Photo by Chris Jackson - WPA Pool/Getty Images)
Justin Trudeau with his wife Sophie and kids Xavier, Ella and baby Hadrien, arrive at the Rogers Centre for the Blue Jays game in Toronto on Friday September 4, 2015. Dave Thomas/Toronto Sun
(L-R) Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Prince William the Duke of Cambridge, Sophie Gregoire Trudeau, and Catherine the Duchess of Cambridge take a walk at the Kitsilano Coast Guard station, in Vancouver, British Columbia on September 25, 2016. JONATHAN HAYWARD/AFP/Getty Images
A 2010 holiday card family photo of Justin Trudeau with wife Sophie Gregoire, and children Alex and Ella-Grace. POSTMEDIA FILES
Newly elected Federal Liberal leader Justin Trudeau holds his two children Xavier and Ella-Grace as they wave to the crowd as his wife Sophie Gregoire looks on after his acceptance speech after the results of voting were announced in Ottawa at the 2013 Liberal Party of Canada Leadership Results Announcement ,Sunday, April 14, 2013. (JOHN MAJOR/Postmedia)
Justin Trudeau, with wife, Sophie, and mom, Margaret Trudeau during a meet and greet at the Banff Springs for the Kennedy Water Alliance fundraiser in July 2008. Postmedia files
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau looks at his wife Sophie Gregoire Trudeau during the Global Citizen Concert to End AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria in Montreal, Quebec, September 17, 2016. / GEOFF ROBINS/AFP/Getty Images
Justin Trudeau and his wife, Sophie Gregoire, attend a campaign rally for London-North-Centre Liberal candidate Glen Pearson in November 2006. LFP
US President Barack Obama (R) and First Lady Michelle Obama (2nd L), Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau (2nd R) and his wife Sophie Gregoire Trudeau pose upon the Trudeau's arrival for a State Dinner in their honor at the White House in Washington, DC, on March 10, 2016. NICHOLAS KAMM/AFP/Getty Images
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Sophie Gregoire-Trudeau share a moment as they watch Canadian veterans parade past them during Remembrance Day ceremonies in Ottawa Wednesday November 11, 2015. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld
Sophie Gregoire (L) and Justin Trudeau react to seeing their children as the Liberal government is sworn in at Rideau Hall in 2015. (Wayne Cuddington/Postmedia)
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his wife Sophie Gregoire-Trudeau wave to the media with Hadrien, Ella-Grace as they board a government plane as they leave the United Kingdom Thursday November 26, 2015 in Luton, England. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld
Justin Trudeau, son of the late Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau poses for photos with his new bride Sophie Gregoire as his mother, Margaret, looks on after their marriage ceremony in Montreal Saturday, May 28, 2005.(CP PHOTO/Ryan Remiorz)
Justin Trudeau, son of the late Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, kisses his new bride Sophie Gregoire after their marriage ceremony in Montreal Saturday, May 28, 2005. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz
Justin Trudeau, son of the late Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, leaves with his new bride Sophie Gregoire in his father's 1959 Mercedes 300 SEL after their marriage ceremony in Montreal Saturday, May 28, 2005.(CP PHOTO/Ryan Remiorz)
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It’s likely that with the kids still in school, something similar will happen. These are details that will come out in due time.
For the most part, though, this is a personal matter and everyone, including our political elite, are still entitled to a personal life, to privacy.
As Warren Kinsella has written, leave the unelected ones out of this.
For the elected one, hold him accountable for his policies, for how he and his party govern, not for his personal life. Trudeau’s record as prime minister is coming close to eight years and there is more than enough to criticize him over without having to resort to snide remarks about his marriage, his separation, or his kids.
Play the ball, not the man, is how I was taught to play soccer. It’s a good rule of thumb for the rest of life, as well.
It’s especially important to remember at times like this.
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