Former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his longtime chief of staff, Katie Telford, have ventured into the entertainment industry by establishing a new media and entertainment production company named Hope & Hard Work. The company’s moniker is a nod to a slogan utilized by Trudeau and the Liberal Party during his nine-year tenure as prime minister, which concluded in 2025.
Hope & Hard Work will focus on producing a variety of content, including scripted and unscripted material, documentaries, docuseries, television series, and feature films. The company has already initiated several projects, with one of them being the development of a TV adaptation of Perry Chafe’s popular novel “Closer by the Sea,” set in Newfoundland. Additionally, an adaptation of Toronto author Uzma Jalaluddin’s mystery novel “Detective Aunty” is in the works, with Trudeau and Telford acting as executive producers.
Trudeau and Telford have emphasized that their production lineup is diverse and meticulously selected to provide audience-driven storytelling that resonates not only in Canada but also internationally. They expressed their belief in the unifying power of compelling narratives to bring people together, foster empathy, and promote mutual understanding.
Following his resignation in January 2025, Trudeau, now 54, has been actively involved in various public engagements, including delivering speeches globally. Notably, he attended the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, accompanied by his girlfriend, pop star Katy Perry, with whom he commenced a relationship post-resignation.
Trudeau’s foray into the entertainment sector mirrors the initiatives of other notable figures like former U.S. President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama, who established Higher Ground production company in 2018. Similarly, in 2020, Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, launched Archewell Productions after stepping away from their royal duties.