Alexandre Trudeau - Early Life and Education

Early Life and Education

The second of three children born to Pierre and Margaret Trudeau during Pierre's term in office, Alexandre Trudeau was a media sensation, just like his brothers, at the time of his birth. However, Pierre and Margaret tried as much as possible to protect their children from the public eye, and after Pierre retired as Prime Minister in 1984, he raised them in relative privacy in Montreal. Like his father and brothers, Alexandre studied at Collège Jean-de-Brébeuf. He graduated with a philosophy degree from McGill University in 1997.

At birth, he was given the nickname "Sasha" (the Russian diminutive of Alexander) in recognition of his father's love of Russian literature and culture. The name also is linked to former Soviet ambassador to Canada and family friend Alexander Yakovlev.

While attending McGill, Alexandre joined the Canadian Forces as a Reserve Entry Scheme Officer at the Royal Canadian Hussars reserve regiment in 1996. He trained at CFB Gagetown, New Brunswick and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant, but released voluntarily before completing his training as an armoured officer. Following graduation, he traveled to West Africa to produce his first documentary: Liberia, the Secret War (1998).

When Pierre Trudeau died in 2000, both Alexandre Trudeau and his older brother Justin Trudeau returned to the public eye. Although Alexandre was visibly more reserved and quiet than his brother, his heightened public profile brought new attention to his work as a journalist.