The Prince: The Turbulent Reign of Justin Trudeau

Nominated for the Shaughnessy Cohen Prize for Political Writing The first comprehensive biography of Justin Trudeau as prime minister—an honest, compelling story of his government’s triumphs and failures, based on interviews with over 200 insiders and Trudeau himself. As one of the longest-surviving prime ministers and son of the legendary Prime Minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau, Justin Trudeau is near royalty in Canada. But how did this former high school teacher with no noteworthy accomplishments put together a team that managed to take over the Liberal Party and bring it from third place to a majority government in 2015? The Prince shows just that. In this first comprehensive history of the Justin Trudeau government, veteran journalist Stephen Maher takes readers behind the scenes of a tumultuous decade of Canadian politics. Through hundreds of interviews with political insiders, he describes how Trudeau—a Canadian prince—had the famous name, the political instincts, the work ethic, and the confidence to overcome errors in judgment and build a global brand, winning in the boxing ring and on the debate stage. And then things changed as key people left the Trudeau team and the government lost direction. Trudeau is an enigmatic figure—a politician who has been in the public eye since childhood and seeks attention but has always concealed his actual feelings from those around him. He has shown admirable strength and skill, deftly handling Donald Trump in trade deals and international meetings and in leading Canada through the COVID-19 pandemic. He has delivered substantial results for people within his political coalition—the most successful attack on poverty in a generation, real progress on climate change, and a sustained application of money and political capital to Indigenous reconciliation. Even as the government overcame major challenges, however, errors in judgment and personality conflicts wasted political capital. Trudeau has struggled to manage his own office, with devastating consequences, and alienated people outside his coalition, to the point where he can’t hold a public event without protesters screaming curses at him. The Prince takes readers behind the curtain as the government goes from triumph to embarrassment and back again, revealing the people, the conflicts, and the struggles both in the government and on the opposition benches. Above all, it traces why this ambitious government led by a global media darling is now so unpopular it is in danger of imminent collapse.

About the Author :
Stephen Maher has been writing about Canadian politics since 1989. As a columnist and investigative reporter for Postmedia News, iPolitics, and Maclean’s, he has often set the agenda on Parliament Hill, covering political corruption, electoral wrongdoing, misinformation, and human rights abuses. He has also won many awards, including the Nieman Fellowship at Harvard University, the Michener Award for meritorious public service journalism, the National Newspaper Award, two Canadian Association of Journalism Awards, a Canadian Hillman Prize, and has been nominated for several National Magazine Awards.

Review :
“Maher delivers a full-length treatment of the Prime Minister and his government that is both comprehensive and insightful. . . Stephen Maher has delivered a thoroughly researched and fair-minded accounting of Justin Trudeau’s accomplishments and failings. If journalism is the first draft of history, The Prince is a convincing second draft.” — The Globe and Mail “Sensational . . . It deftly captures what went on behind the scenes in Trudeau’s big successes, along with his big failures. The book’s strengths are in Maher’s interviews with top political players who speak candidly about what it’s really like in political Ottawa’s backrooms. The book is a must-read for anyone interested in politics and the prime minister.” — The Hill Times “An extraordinary book which traces this descent into hell is becoming a hit in English Canada. It's definitely worth reading if you want to understand how Trudeau got so low in the polls today.” — Le Journal de Montreal “I just finished Stephen Maher's The Prince and highly recommend it, even to those who closely follow Canadian politics. It’s the best Justin Trudeau biography I’ve read so far, and it is fair, accurate, and balanced.”   — DON MARTIN, columnist, CTVNews.ca  “[An] engaging and even-handed book on the prime minister” — LAWRENCE MARTIN, Public Affairs Columnist, The Globe & Mail “This is a compelling examination of Justin’s time in office.” — Hello! Canada “The Prince is a fast-paced, highly readable political narrative informed by interviews with more than 200 insiders, including Trudeau himself. . . The book carefully plots the downward trajectory of Trudeau’s time in power.” — Zoomer.com “Maher has juicy stuff from behind the scenes.” — The Hill Times “Compelling new book. . . as authoritative as it is newsworthy.” — SaltWire.com “The Prince is a valuable political recent history and overview.” — Miramichi Reader