Former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his longtime chief of staff, Katie Telford, have entered the entertainment industry with the establishment of a media and entertainment production company named Hope & Hard Work. The company’s name is inspired by a slogan used by Trudeau and the Liberal Party during his nine-year term as prime minister, which concluded in 2025.
Hope & Hard Work will focus on creating scripted and unscripted content, including documentaries, docuseries, television series, and feature films. The company has already initiated several projects, including the TV adaptation of Perry Chafe’s popular novel “Closer by the Sea,” set in Newfoundland. Additionally, they are adapting Toronto author Uzma Jalaluddin’s mystery novel, “Detective Aunty,” for television, where Trudeau and Telford will serve as executive producers.
Trudeau and Telford emphasize that the lineup of projects is diverse and carefully chosen to provide audience-driven storytelling that resonates both nationally and internationally. They aim to create a platform for stories that foster empathy, understanding, and unity, transcending personal beliefs to offer different perspectives and common ground.
Following his resignation in January 2025, Trudeau, aged 54, has been engaging in public speaking engagements worldwide, including appearances at events like the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, alongside his girlfriend, pop star Katy Perry, whom he began dating after leaving office.
Trudeau’s foray into the entertainment sector mirrors that of former U.S. President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama, who launched the production company Higher Ground in 2018. Similarly, in 2020, Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, established Archewell Productions after stepping back from their royal duties.