TORONTO: Justin Trudeau will be sworn on Wednesday as prime minister - the position long held by his late father - as Canada begins a new era of Liberal leadership after Conservative Stephen Harper's near-decade in power.

Trudeau and his Cabinet will officially take office at the ceremony Wednesday morning at 10:30 a.m.

Trudeau is the son of Pierre Trudeau, who swept to office in 1968 on a wave of support dubbed "Trudeaumania".

He was prime minister until 1984 with a short interruption and remains one of the few Canadian politicians known in America, his charisma often drawing comparisons to John F. Kennedy.

Examine: Justin Trudeau: Bringing old Canada back

Justin Trudeau channels the star power of his father. Tall and trim, he is a former school teacher and member of Parliament since 2008. At 43, he becomes the second youngest prime minister in Canadian history.

His election signals a generational change that will also be reflected in his Cabinet. His ministers will be announced Wednesday and most of them will be between the ages of 35 and 50.

Trudeau's victory should improve Canada's ties with the United States. Harper was angered by President Barack Obama's reluctance to approve the Keystone XL pipeline from Alberta to Texas and it damaged relations.

Although Trudeau supports the pipeline, he argues relations should not hinge on the project.

Harper, one of the longest-serving Western leaders, fought hard to reverse the image of a Liberal Canada, cutting corporate and sales taxes and removing Canada from a climate change agreement.

Trudeau tapped into an appetite for change with a plan to reject austerity and spend billions on infrastructure, running deficits for three years to do so.

Also read: Liberals win Canadian election, ousting Harper

Opinion

Who bears the cost?

Who bears the cost?

This small window of low inflation should compel a rethink of how the authorities and employers understand the average household’s

Editorial

Internet restrictions
Updated 23 Dec, 2024

Internet restrictions

Notion that Pakistan enjoys unprecedented freedom of expression difficult to reconcile with the reality of restrictions.
Bangladesh reset
23 Dec, 2024

Bangladesh reset

THE vibes were positive during Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s recent meeting with Bangladesh interim leader Dr...
Leaving home
23 Dec, 2024

Leaving home

FROM asylum seekers to economic migrants, the continuing exodus from Pakistan shows mass disillusionment with the...
Military convictions
Updated 22 Dec, 2024

Military convictions

Pakistan’s democracy, still finding its feet, cannot afford such compromises on core democratic values.
Need for talks
22 Dec, 2024

Need for talks

FOR a long time now, the country has been in the grip of relentless political uncertainty, featuring the...
Vulnerable vaccinators
22 Dec, 2024

Vulnerable vaccinators

THE campaign to eradicate polio from Pakistan cannot succeed unless the safety of vaccinators and security personnel...