Canada PoliticsJustin Trudeau admits to smoking marijuana after becoming a MP
Justin Trudeau has smoked marijuana since becoming a member of Parliament in 2008.
The Liberal leader made admission in a lengthy interview with The Huffington Post earlier this week.
The Liberal leader said he last smoked marijuana about three years ago. It was at his house in Montreal, outside on a patio by the pool. “We had a few good friends over for a dinner party, our kids were at their grandmother's for the night, and one of our friends lit a joint and passed it around. I had a puff,” he told HuffPost.
In Quebec city on Thursday, Trudeau was asked about the report.
"It wasn't a mistake," Trudeau said, according to the Canadian Press.
"I do not consume cannabis. I am not a big consumer at all. I tried it...
"I've never tried other types of hard drugs. I am not a consumer of marijuana but, yes, I've already tried it. I used it — maybe five or six times in my life."
[ Related: Justin Trudeau and wife Sophie Grégoire expecting third child ]
Trudeau's admission to smoking pot comes just weeks after he advanced his party's policy on marijuana saying that he would like to legalize it to keep it out of the hands of our kids.
The Conservative Party did not respond to an email from Yahoo! Canada News about Trudeau's admission.
But, according to the Globe and Mail, Harper was asked about it on Thursday, during his northern tour.
"For Mr. Trudeau, I think those actions speak for themselves and I don't have anything to add," Mr. Harper told an audience in Rankin Inlet, Nunavut, during the latest stop on his annual summer tour of northern Canada.
[Harper] stopped, took a drink of water, and cleared his throat before answering in a manner that suggested he was disdainful of Mr. Trudeau's conduct.
Justice Minister Peter MacKay had a more blunt message.
"By flouting the laws of Canada while holding elected office, he shows he is a poor example for all Canadians, particularly young ones. Justin Trudeau is simply not the kind of leader our country needs," MacKay said in a statement, according to CBC News.
[ Related: Are we ready for a pot-smoking prime minister? ]
Trudeau may be the highest profile politician who has admitted to smoking pot while in office, but he's certainly not the only one that has.
Here are some responses from other prominent Canadian politicians who have been asked the question: "Have you ever smoked pot?"
"In terms of whether I've ever tried or been tempted [to smoke marijuana]? In terms of tried, I think you know that I've said before that I'm asthmatic. I cannot smoke and have never smoked anything. In terms of temptation I will leave any comment on that to my dialogue with my maker."
- Stephen Harper, Prime Minister (2002)
"Not even a cigarette. It's true I'm not controversial."
- Tony Clement, Treasury Board President (2002)
"Yeah, in my teenage years. A couple of times. I have to admit: I didn't like it."
- Jim Flaherty, Finance Minister (2002)
"Yes, and some might say I never exhaled."
- Late Jack Layton, former leader of the NDP
"I am not a fan of marijuana use. I have to confess this — I know all politicians are asked. I've never used marijuana. I apologize."
- Elizabeth May, Green Party Leader ( 2008)
(Photo courtesy of the Canadian Press)
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