Skip to Content Subscribe Our Offers My Account Manage My Subscriptions FAQ Newsletters Canada Canadian True Crime Canadian Politics Health World Israel & Middle East Financial Post NP Comment Longreads Puzzmo Diversions Comics NP News Quiz New York Times Crossword Horoscopes Life Eating & Drinking Style Sponsored Play for Ontario Travel Travel Canada Travel USA Travel International Cruises Travel Essentials Culture Books Celebrity Movies Music Theatre Television Business Essentials Advice Lives Told Tails Told Shopping Buy Canadian Home Living Outdoor Living Tech Style & Beauty Kitchen & Dining Personal Care Entertainment & Hobbies Gift Guide Travel Guide Deals Savings National Post Store More Sports Hockey Baseball Basketball Football Soccer Golf Tennis Driving Vehicle Research Reviews News Gear Guide Obituaries Place an Obituary Place an In Memoriam Classifieds Place an Ad Celebrations Working Business Ads Archives Healthing Epaper Manage Print Subscription Profile Settings My Subscriptions Saved Articles My Offers Newsletters Customer Service FAQ Newsletters Canada World Financial Post NP Comment Longreads Puzzmo Diversions Life Shopping Epaper Manage Print Subscription HomeNewsCanadaMargaret Trudeau makes rare appearance alongside Sophie Grégoire'Proud dad' Justin wasn't present at son's performance but congratulated the 18-year-old in a social media post You can save this article by registering for free here. Or sign-in if you have an account.Sophie Gregoire Trudeau and Margaret Trudeau (former wife / mother of former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau) attend an Ottawa Blackjacks basketball game in Ottawa May 12, 2026. Their son / grandson Xavier Trudeau performed during halftime. Photo by Blair Gable /PostmediaMargaret Trudeau, mother of former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, made a rare public appearance Tuesday night, sitting courtside at an Ottawa Blackjacks game with Sophie Grégoire Trudeau.Enjoy the latest local, national and international news.Exclusive articles by Conrad Black, Barbara Kay and others. 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Plus, special edition NP Platformed and First Reading newsletters and virtual events.Unlimited online access to National Post.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.Support local journalism.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.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one accountShare your thoughts and join the conversation in the commentsEnjoy additional articles per monthGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountorThey were there to support son and grandson, Xavier Trudeau. The 18-year-old R&B musician performed during half-time at the home opener for the Blackjacks, Ottawa’s pro-basketball team. Xavier’s father, Justin, was not with them.He had cheered on his son in a social media post made before the game. It was filmed on the Blackjacks basketball court on Monday and shared on the Canadian Elite Basketball League’s Instagram.“We’re at TD Place,” says Xavier, announcing his half-time show “for the Ottawa Blackjacks. We’re standing on the logo.” Then Justin says he is “just a proud dad at soundcheck” before passing a basketball to Xavier for a half-court shot attempt.Get a dash of perspective along with the trending news of the day in a very readable format.By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder.The next issue of NP Posted will soon be in your inbox.We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try againXavier launched his music career last year with the release of a single entitled “Til The Nights Done.” Since then, he has released several additional singles along with his debut summer 2025 EP, When Does It End.Prior to the Blackjacks game, Margaret’s most recent public appearance was on April 10 at a retirement home in Ottawa.Billed by Hunt Club Manor Retirement Living and the Canadian Association of Retired People as “a truly meaningful and powerful afternoon,” Margaret shared her journey, exploring: breaking stigma through open conversation; building resilience, hope, and understanding; how can we better support ourselves and those around us. Sophie Gregoire Trudeau and Margaret Trudeau (former wife / mother of former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau) attend an Ottawa Blackjacks basketball game in Ottawa May 12, 2026. Their son / grandson Xavier Trudeau performed during halftime. Photo by Blair Gable /PostmediaMargaret first gained prominence in the 1970s when she dated Pierre Trudeau, Justin’s father and prime minister from 1968 to 1979 and 1980 to 1984. The duo married in 1971, when he was 51 and she was 22. They were nicknamed the “royal couple,” Canada’s History magazine noted in 2011.Married in 1971, the relationship began to fall apart a few years later. Margaret was captured by the press as a frequenter of New York’s Studio 54 dance club. When Pierre lost his majority government in 1979, Margaret was reported as far from his side, partying with the Rolling Stones (as she discussed in a 2016 interview with Harper’s Bazaar and Mick Jagger mentioned in the New York Post in 2024).The couple divorced in 1982, after having three sons, including Justin, Alexandre “Sacha” and Michel (who was killed in an avalanche in 1998).After splitting from Pierre, she had a series of high profile liaisons with celebrities such as rock star Mick Jagger, actor Jack Nicholson and U.S. Senator Ted Kennedy, described in her first book, Consequences. Sophie Gregoire Trudeau and Margaret Trudeau (former wife / mother of former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau) attend an Ottawa Blackjacks basketball game in Ottawa May 12, 2026. Their son / grandson Xavier Trudeau performed during halftime. Photo by Blair Gable /PostmediaDecades later she revealed that she had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder. In 2010, she release a memoir called Changing My Mind, sharing the story of her struggle with the disorder.Subsequently, she released a second memoir, The Time of Your Life, discussing the struggles faced by women in later life. Having retreated from the public eye, she told Reader’s Digest in 2018: “I love the position I’m in now, where I am able to make a difference as a mental-health advocate without having people watch my every move like they used to.”The following year, at age 70, she did a one-woman show at Chicago’s Second City called Certain Woman of an Age. It was a show meant to raise awareness about women’s mental health struggles, reported National Public Radio. Pierre Trudeau and Margaret (Sinclair) Trudeau during their marriage ceremony in 1971. Photo by Fred Schiffer /PNGShe is an honorary patron of the Canadian Mental Health Association, B.C. division.Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. 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