Above: ‘Plane Talk’ is an interview like none other. Tom Clark, Justin Trudeau, one plane, no limits.
Leaving behind his communications staff, strategists and handlers Liberal leader Justin Trudeau sat in a small, cramped aircraft cabin with The West Block host Tom Clark to take a few questions.
He spoke openly about his brother Michel, who was killed in an avalanche at the age of 23, admitted there is an instance in which he might lie and reveals his greatest regret.
Extravagance: Travel.
Vice: “Escapist” novels.
Regret: Not visiting Michel enough when they lived close to each other out west.
Job after politics: Teaching.
A full transcript of the interview is pasted below.
WATCH: A clip of Trudeau taking the controls and flying the plane.
BELOW: Watch the entire interview with Tom Clark and Justin Trudeau in Tom’s plane.
Transcript
Pretty nice country here, isn’t it?
Justin Trudeau:
It’s beautiful.
Tom Clark:
Under what circumstances would you lie?
Justin Trudeau:
Ha-ha, ha-ha, if my kids asked me if I was always well behaved as a kid.
Tom Clark:
You’d have to lie about that?
Justin Trudeau:
Ah you know what I think we’d all have to lie about that.
Tom Clark:
What’s your greatest extravagance?
Justin Trudeau:
Travel, once a year, I make sure to take Sophie and the kids away to some amazing place. A few years ago we spent a few weeks on the beach in Tofino. At another point we went out to the east coast with some friends and stayed in Hubbards. Just this past summer we took a trip to Hawaii; it was my first time in Hawaii.
Tom Clark:
What’s your greatest vice?
Justin Trudeau:
My biggest guilty pleasure and which, I don’t know if it’s a vice, but it’s, I still with all the stacks of briefing notes and studies that I have to read and speeches to write, and things to prepare, I still make time for you know escapist novels every now and then; the Jack Reacher series, things like that, that I just completely unplug with and disconnect from, that I probably should be reading something more serious but there’s only so much of that you can take.
Tom Clark:
What was the last book you read?
Justin Trudeau:
Mr. Mercedes, Stephen King.
Tom Clark:
What’s your greatest regret?
Justin Trudeau:
When I was in my 20’s, I lived out west for a few years and for two of those years, I was just a few hours’ drive away from Michie and you know when you’re in your 20’s you think you’re going to live forever and we both certainly did. And we figured there would be lots of time to catch up, and I just didn’t see him enough when I was living close to him in a beautiful part of the world.
Tom Clark:
What’s the biggest threat to Canada?
Justin Trudeau:
Listen we live in a very scary world. There’s terrorism and global insecurity all around us, but when I look specifically at Canada and our greatest threat here, and we’re lucky to be sheltered from so much of the violence around the world, I see it a threat to the idea of Canada. Canada was built around a very simple premise. A promise that you can work hard and succeed, and build a future for yourselves and your kids, and that future for your kids would be better than the one you had. You’re going to pass on a better quality of life and a better opportunity to your kids, and I think that’s eroding. I mean people are worried for the first time that we might not be giving a better future to our children and that’s something that is undercutting the very idea of this place that pulls together and creates success for everyone, regardless of origins or language.
Tom Clark:
But is that a greater threat to this country than ISIS?
Justin Trudeau:
Obviously not, I mean the threat of ISIS is a massive threat to global stability and security. And a bomb goes off somewhere in this country and that’s a massive threat, but you know we have 35 million people who live here believing that we have a future together. And it’s easy to point out things that scare us but the breakdown of our society by a lack of hope and the lack of a real and a fair chance for everyone is a real threat to Canada.
Tom Clark:
Why do you want to be prime minister?
Justin Trudeau:
I have been incredibly lucky all my life. I’ve had a family that has loved me and given me incredible opportunities. I’ve gone to great schools. I’ve travelled across the country. When my father died, I had millions of people supporting me in a very, very difficult time. I have received so much from this country. I realize that we’re defined in life not by what we get from this world but by what we have to offer it and I know that I have a lot to offer this country, and I’m serious about devoting my life to it.
Tom Clark:
The one that the entire country wants to know, what shampoo do you use?
Justin Trudeau:
Ha-ha, ha-ha, what a disappointing answer this is going to be: whatever happens to be hanging around at the time. If I’m in a hotel, it’s whatever they give me. If it’s whatever my wife tends to be using right now, I do great for I dont’ know, whatever it is, colour-treated hair or something or other. I just grab whatever is there.
Tom Clark:
We’re going to turn around on that one. You’ve said in the past that your political hero is Sir Wilfred Laurier.
Justin Trudeau:
He’s my second favourite prime minister you know.
Tom Clark:
First favourite is? John A Macdonald.
Justin Trudeau:
Ha-ha, ha-ha, isn’t everybody’s? Isn’t that a law the Conservative government passed early on?
Tom Clark:
What’s your favourite part of this country?
Justin Trudeau:
You can’t ask that question of a politician?
Tom Clark:
I just did.
Justin Trudeau:
The most beautiful wonderful, fabulous part of this country is the magnificent riding of Papineau. I have the honour of representing it in the House of Commons and there is no place more beautiful in this country. Actually, specifically, at the heart of my riding is Jarry Park and I used to go there as a kid, all the time with my dad. You know he was a huge lover of outdoor baseball and that was a tradition we had, but also I saw the Pope there and I love to bring my kids there. Jarry Park in my riding is a beautiful place.
Tom Clark:
Politics is never forever, what are you going to do if this political thing doesn’t work out for you?
Justin Trudeau:
I am a teacher. It’s how I define myself. A good teacher isn’t someone who gives the answers out to their kids but is understanding of needs and challenges and gives tools to help other people succeed. That’s the way I see myself so whatever it is that I will do eventually after politics, it’ll have to do a lot with teaching.
Tom Clark:
So would you go back to being a teacher?
Justin Trudeau:
In some way, shape or form, probably, yeah.
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