- I'm someone who stumbles my way through, leads with my chin in some cases, leads with my heart in all cases. It leaves me way open for all sorts of criticisms left, right and centre. You know what? I was raised with pretty thick skin. And I think people are hungry for politicians who aren't afraid to say what they think and mean it.
- Can I actually make a difference? Can I get people to believe in politics again? Can I get people to accept more complex answers to complex questions? I know I can. I know that's what I do very well. Why am I doing this? Because I can, not because I want to. Because I must.
- I'm willing to work extremely hard. The idea that my father raised sons that expected anything to be handed to them, to not roll up their sleeves and work harder than anyone around them, is not to know my dad.
- [on vying for leadership of the Liberal Party of Canada] It's about introducing the deeper side of me. A fuller perspective of who I am, than what people have been used to. This is not a whim or a lark or a chance for me to enter another popularity contest. This is about us collectively pulling together to build a better Canada.
- My father's values and vision of this country obviously form everything I have as values and ideals. But this is not the ghost of my father running for the leadership of the Liberal Party. This is me.
- [to the question which nation's administration he most admires, 2013] You know, there's a level of admiration I actually have for China, because their basic dictatorship is allowing them to turn their economy around on a dime and say, 'We need to go green fastest..we need to start investing in solar' ..I mean there is a flexibility that I know Stephen Harper must dream about - of having a dictatorship that he can do everything that he wanted that I find interesting.
- I think a lot of people have fallen into the poor habit of thinking about leadership as Stephen Harper's model, that the only person he takes advice from is the person he sees in the mirror every morning. And that's just not what I understand as being leadership. I think that's not right for a country as rich and diverse as Canada. And I certainly saw, from my father's own example, that he used to surround himself with the brightest people he could possibly find, experts in all kinds of different areas, and draw on their strength and expertise to build the big picture.
- [on the issue of marijuana] The current approach is not protecting our kids. And whatever you say about pot being less harmful than alcohol or tobacco, it's still not good for the developing brain. We want to keep our kids safe. Adults can make their own choices, fine. But protecting our children from marijuana use is why I think controlling it and regulating it is going to do a better job of that.
- Fear is a dangerous thing.
- [to Queen Elizabeth II, to whom he had been introduced as a little boy by his Prime Minister father] I will say you were much taller than me the last time we met.
- [Toronto Sun interview, February 2015] Budget will balance itself.
- You know I'm not going to go around reciting Pi to the 19th decibel.
- I never smoked a cigarette in my life, I don't drink coffee. I don't drink a lot. Sophie thinks I'm crazy 'cause she can't function without coffee.
- [2017, apologizing in Parliament for earlier discrimination against gay and transgender people] For state-sponsored, systemic oppression and rejection, we are sorry.
- [on Twitter, January 28, 2017] To those fleeing persecution, terror & war, Canadians will welcome you, regardless of your faith. Diversity is our strength.
- [at the 2018 G-7 meeting in Quebec] I highlighted directly to the President that Canadians did not take it lightly that the United States has moved forward with significant tariffs on our steel an aluminum industry...Canadians, we're polite, we're reasonable, but we also will not be pushed around.
- The budget will balance itself.
- The Liberal party believes that terrorists should get to keep their Canadian citizenship. Because i do; and I ' willing to take on anybody who disagrees with that.
- There's a level of admiration I actually have for China, because their basic dictatorship is allowing them to turn their economy around on a dime.
- [on the release of photos which display him appearing in blackface] This is something that I deeply, deeply regret. Darkening your face, regardless of the context or circumstances, is always unacceptable because of the racist history of blackface.
- I have always acknowledged that I come from a place of privilege, but I now have to acknowledge that comes with a massive blind spot.
- [on announcing a ban on military-style firearms in Canada, May 2020] You don't need an AR-15 to bring down a deer
- We like to say peoplekind, not necessarily mankind. It's more inclusive.
- [on energy] As we look at what the baseload energy requirements are gonna be needed by Canada over the coming decades, especially as we continue to draw in global giants like Volkswagen who choose Canada partially because we have a clean energy mix to offer to power, we're gonna need a lot more energy. We're gonna have to be doing much more nuclear.
Contribute to this page
Suggest an edit or add missing content