Justin Trudeau has been working as the 23rd Prime minister of Canada for the past ten years. Ever since his election in 2015, he has been the subject of many rumours, some even coined by other heads of state.
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In this article, we take a look at how much he earns as Prime Minister, especially after the recent boost he was given in 2024.
Justin Trudeau became Canadian PM in 2015
According to the Liberal Party of Canada's official website, Justin Trudeau was not destined to become a PM. Indeed, the politician, who got divorced from his wife Sophie Grégoire Trudeau, first pursued his passion for the arts. In 1994, he graduated from McGill University in Montreal, with a Bachelor of Arts in Literature. He went on to become a respected professor in Vancouver, teaching French and Maths, among other subjects.
Before becoming involved in politics, Justin Trudeau first served as the Chair of Katimavik, on the board for the Canadian Avalanche Foundation. The teacher-turned-politician was elected as Leader of the Liberal Party in 2013. He was sworn in as the 23rd Prime minister of Canada in November 2015, after his party won the election. The father-of-three was reelected as the Head of the Canadian Government in 2019, then once again in 2021.
His salary increased in 2024
In April 2024, Canadian newspapers Now Toronto revealed Justin Trudeau, along with other members of Parliament, would see a hefty raise in their salaries. According to the Canadian House of Commons, the Parliament's cash flow is always adjusted, and in 2024, the sessional allowance for MPs stood at around CA$200k. Justin Trudeau is not only the Prime Minister, but he also enjoys his role as a member of Parliament. This means that both his salaries have gone up in the past year. As Prime Minister, he earned CA$194k in 2023 (135 USD). He had the same income for his role as MP. Thanks to the raise, both his pays have gone up CA$8,500 each.
In 2024, the Canadian Prime minister earned CA$203k for his role as PM, and the same amount for his role as MP. This means he earned a total of CA$406k in the past year, which is around 284K USD.
However, Justin Trudeau was not the only one to enjoy this hefty raise. Indeed, the same principle applied to the Speaker of the House, the House Leader of the Government, the Leader of the Opposition, and other ministers of State. The Canadian Taxpayers Federation and Ledger conducted a poll following the announcement, which showed about 62% of Canadians were against this raise. Franco Terrazzano, the CTF Federal Director, explained:
The poll results are crystal clear: Canadians don’t think MPs deserve another pay raise. It looks like the only Canadians who strongly support an MP pay raise are probably the politicians themselves.
Read more:
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Sources used:
Now Toronto: Justin Trudeau’s salary just got a big top-up, with him earning over $400K a year – 62% of Canadians think it’s wrong
Parliament of Canada: Indemnities, Salaries and Allowances
Liberal Party of Canada: Meet Justin Trudeau
