OTTAWA — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau issued a farewell message to Canadians Thursday as he marked his last full day in office.
In a video posted to several social media platforms, including X and Facebook, Trudeau said he's proud to have served a country full of people who stand up for what's right, rise to every occasion and "always have each others' backs when it matters most."
Liberal Leader Mark Carney will be sworn in as Canada's 24th prime minister at a ceremony at Rideau Hall Friday after Trudeau's formal resignation. Carney became Liberal leader on Sunday at the party's leadership convention.
Trudeau said that while he's leaving office, he will always be "boldly and unapologetically Canadian."
He said his only wish is that, no matter what the world throws at Canadians, they will "always be the same."
Trudeau is leaving office after more than nine years as prime minister and does not plan to run again in his Montreal riding when the next election is called.
The prime minister has been using social media to say goodbye to Canadians in recent days.
On March 9, Trudeau posted that he was leaving as leader of the Liberal party with "the same belief in hope and hard work" he had when he started.
"Hope for this party and for this country, because of the millions of Canadians who prove every day that better is always possible," Trudeau said.
Trudeau has been an MP since 2008, and became Liberal leader in 2013 and prime minister in 2015.
On March 12, the prime minister gave a shout-out to constituents in his Montreal riding of Papineau.
"They gave me a chance to do good by our community — and a few years later, do good by our country," he said. "That's a privilege I'll be forever grateful for."
This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 13, 2025.
Catherine Morrison, The Canadian Press
