Trudeau's casual footwear at royal visit draws jabs for etiquette faux pas
Justin Trudeau's casual footwear at Tuesday's throne speech drew some criticism from online fashion police and royal watchers miffed to see colourful sneakers at a ceremonial event presided over by the King.
Otherwise clad in a traditional blue-on-blue-on-blue ensemble with matching suit, shirt and tie, Canada's former prime minister appeared at King Charles' throne speech in what appeared to be green Adidas Gazelles.
The 53-year-old drew a range of hot takes for his spin on sartorial style, with some decrying the look for being too informal and others praising the comfort-casual approach.
Trudeau sat within sight of King Charles and Queen Camilla, who made a rare royal appearance for the opening of a new session of Parliament.
The King wore a dark blue striped suit with the Order of Canada around his neck and an array of medals. The Queen wore a navy blue crepe silk dress by Fiona Clare with a navy blue hat by Philip Treacy and matching Chanel handbag.
Others in attendance included Trudeau's mother Margaret, former prime minister Stephen Harper, and former governors general Michaëlle Jean and Adrienne Clarkson.
Similar Adidas models displayed online describe the suede sneakers as 'collegiate green' with stripes in a 'preloved red' shade, available for around $100 or more.
Social media comments posted to X included @IAmFantaesia's verdict that the look displayed 'no class,' and @maarjohn_ who declared the shoes brought 'style and comfort to the Senate.'
Toronto etiquette expert Susy Fossati said Trudeau still represents Canada on the world stage and should have dressed more formally.
'If you're going to wear the sneakers, at least wear black,' said Fossati, director of Avignon Etiquette
'What was with the green? You couldn't more stand out like a sore thumb if you tried. It's no wonder people are interpreting this a million different ways.'
A request for comment to a representative for Trudeau was not immediately returned.
Weekly
A weekly look at what's happening in Winnipeg's arts and entertainment scene.
Bold fashion choices are not unheard of for Trudeau, also known for punctuating a staid suit and dress shoes with colourful socks.
His attire raised eyebrows in 2018 when he and his family donned traditional garb during a trip to India, among them an elaborate gold sherwani Trudeau wore to a dinner with Bollywood stars who all wore dark suits.
Fossati said the setting and focus of Tuesday's event, as well as its roster of royal guests and dignitaries, demanded more traditional clothes.
'He's still an important figure in our society and as such you have a responsibility, whether in the position or not, to best represent us however you can in the best way possible.'
This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 27, 2025.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CTV News
29 minutes ago
- CTV News
Carney announces Parliament Hill positions for London MPs
The view of Parliament Hill and the Ottawa River from Kìwekì Point. (CTV News Ottawa) Two London Liberal MPs have been chosen to work on Parliament Hill, following Prime Minister Mark Carney's announcement of a new parliamentary secretary team on Thursday. London Centre MP Peter Fragiskatos becomes secretary to the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, while London West MP Arielle Kayabaga becomes deputy leader of the Government in the House of Commons. Parliament secretaries assist ministers and secretaries of state. 'Canada's new parliamentary secretary team will deliver on the government's mandate for change, working collaboratively with all parties in Parliament to build the strongest economy in the G7, advance a new security and economic partnership with the United States, and help Canadians get ahead,' said Carney in a news release.
Toronto Sun
2 hours ago
- Toronto Sun
New Zealand Parliament suspends 3 Māori Party lawmakers for haka protest
Published Jun 05, 2025 • 3 minute read New Zealand lawmakers Hana-Rāwhiti Maipi-Clarke, top left, Debbie Ngarewa-Packer, bottom left, and Rawiri Waititi, bottom right, watch as other legislators debate their proposed bans in parliament in Wellington on Thursday, June 5, 2025. Photo by Charlotte Graham-McLay / AP Photo WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — New Zealand legislators voted Thursday to enact record suspensions from Parliament for three lawmakers who performed a Māori haka to protest a proposed law. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account Hana-Rāwhiti Maipi-Clarke received a seven-day ban and the leaders of her political party, Debbie Ngarewa-Packer and Rawiri Waititi, were barred for 21 days. Three days had been the longest ban for a lawmaker from New Zealand's Parliament before. The lawmakers from Te Pāti Māori, the Māori Party, performed the haka, a chanting dance of challenge, in November to oppose a widely unpopular bill, now defeated, that they said would reverse Indigenous rights. The protest drew global headlines and provoked months of fraught debate among lawmakers about what the consequences for the lawmakers' actions should be and the place of Māori culture in Parliament. Why the punishment was so strict A committee of the lawmakers' peers in April recommended the lengthy bans. It said the lawmakers were not being punished for the haka, but for striding across the floor of the debating chamber toward their opponents while doing it. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Judith Collins, the committee chair, said the lawmakers' behaviour was egregious, disruptive and potentially intimidating. Maipi-Clarke, 22, rejected that description Thursday, citing other instances when legislators have left their seats and approached opponents without sanction. The suspended legislators said they are being treated more harshly than others because they are Māori. 'I came into this house to give a voice to the voiceless. Is that the real issue here?' Maipi-Clarke asked Parliament. 'Is that the real intimidation here? Are our voices too loud for this house?' Why this haka was controversial Inside and outside Parliament, the haka has increasingly been welcomed as an important part of New Zealand life. The sacred chant can be a challenge to the viewer but is not violent. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. As Māori language and culture have become part of mainstream New Zealand in recent years, haka appear in a range of cultural, somber and celebratory settings. They also have rung out in Parliament to welcome the passage of high-profile laws. Some who decried the protest haka in Parliament cited its timing, with Maipi-Clarke beginning the chant as votes were being tallied and causing a brief suspension of proceedings. She has privately apologized for the disruption to Parliament's Speaker, she said Thursday. A few lawmakers urged their peers to consider rewriting rules about what lawmakers could do in Parliament to recognize Māori cultural protocols as accepted forms of protest. One cited changes to allow breastfeeding in the debating chamber as evidence the institution had amended rules before. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Normally the parliamentary committee that decides on punishments for errant lawmakers is in agreement on what should happen to them. But panel members were sharply divided over the haka protest and the lengthy punishments were advanced only because the government has more legislators in Parliament than the opposition. One party in the government bloc wanted even longer suspensions and had asked the committee if the Māori party lawmakers could be jailed. Most in opposition rejected any punishment beyond the one-day ban Maipi-Clarke already served. Speaker Gerry Brownlee urged lawmakers last month to negotiate a consensus and ordered a free-ranging debate that would continue until all agreed to put the sanctions to a vote. But no such accord was reached after hours of occasionally emotional speeches in which opposition lawmakers accused the government of undermining democracy by passing such a severe punishment on its opponents. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. While the bans were certain to pass, even as the debate began Thursday it remained unclear whether opposition lawmakers would filibuster to prevent the suspensions from reaching a vote. By evening, with no one's mind changed, all lawmakers agreed the debate should end. Every government lawmaker voted for the punishments, while all opposition members voted against them. The law that prompted the protest Thursday's debate capped a fraught episode for race relations in New Zealand, beginning with the controversial bill that the Māori Party lawmakers opposed. The measures would have rewritten principles in the country's founding document, a treaty between Māori tribal leaders and representatives of the British Crown signed at the time New Zealand was colonized. The bill's authors were chagrined by moves from Parliament and the courts in recent decades to enshrine the Treaty of Waitangi's promises. Opponents warned of constitutional crisis if the law was passed and tens of thousands of people marched to Parliament last November to oppose it. Despite growing recognition for the treaty, Māori remain disadvantaged on most social and economic metrics compared to non-Māori New Zealanders. NHL Columnists Columnists Columnists Columnists
National Observer
5 hours ago
- National Observer
Steel firms, workers will meet with MPs in Ottawa to urge tariff action against US
Canadian steel companies and union workers are meeting with members of Parliament today with the hopes of convincing Ottawa to punch back at US President Donald Trump 's tariff hike. Industry and labour groups, along with Ontario Premier Doug Ford, are all calling on the federal government to quickly implement matching tariffs to retaliate against the US. Trump doubled his duties on steel and aluminum products on Wednesday from 25 to 50 per cent — what amounts to a massive threat to Canadian industry. Prime Minister Mark Carney says his government will need to take "some time" to craft a response to the increased US tariffs. Industry Minister Mélanie Joly says the federal Liberal government is examining different scenarios to respond and vowed it will make a decision before too long. The Canadian Steel Producers Association says Trump's latest tariff assault is dealing a "crushing blow" to the Canadian industry — a move that effectively blocks Canadian steel from entering the US market.
