British Columbia

Trudeau sightings in Tofino, B.C., set off waves of Trudeaumania

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his family have been spotted in Tofino B.C. setting off a tsunami of love from star struck locals and more buzz than a sasquatch sighting.

A tsunami of chatter in Tofino as the off-duty prime minister vacations, spotted surfing

Tofino B.C. locals say they have spotted the off-duty prime minister surfing at Chesterman Beach. You be the judge, is that him? (Nikole Read/Ocean Outfitters/Twitter/Facebook)

Tofino B.C. is the town to spot whales, catch waves and this week — to sight Justin Trudeau.

The off-duty prime minister and his family are in town on an ocean adventure and some witnesses claim, even surfing on idyllic Chesterman Beach.

The Trudeau sightings have set off more excitement than sasquatch encounters, and a bit of grumbling.

Off-duty Prime Minister Justin Trudeau dons a baseball cap for a very B.C. look while shopping and adventuring in local Tofino hot spots. (Ocean Outfitters/Facebook)

"So much awesome!" wrote Carla Dave Anderson on Facebook.

"Welcome to the Island Mr. T!" wrote Shannon Briggs.

Commenters sent love and hopes that Trudeau would spot a whale and remember the beauty of British Columbia so he will work hard to protect the environment.

Others urged him to visit  Alison Azer — a Comox B.C. mother fighting to get her four children abducted by their father back from Iran — while on Vancouver Island.

Trudeau family members (Justin and Sophie Gregoire Trudeau far right) mug for the camera on an adventure with Ocean Outfitters in Tofino B.C. (Ocean Outfitters/Facebook)

While the visit set off waves of well-wishing, others grumbled the prime minister should get back to work on the economy.

There was even a sarcastic barb by one man sick of all the social media "sugar" thrown at Canada's photogenic leader.

"I'm so glad we have such a dreamy PM," wrote Tyler Vollrath on Facebook.

"I hope he implements a sexy tax on our paychecks ... That's what you idiots sound like every time you say he's hot."

Forget whales. Trudeau sightings are the rage in Tofino B.C. this week. Locals snap shots of the off-duty prime minister. (Ocean Outfitters/Facebook)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Yvette Brend

CBC journalist

Yvette Brend works in Vancouver on all CBC platforms. Her investigative work has spanned floods, fires, cryptocurrency deaths, police shootings and infection control in hospitals. “My husband came home a stranger,” an intimate look at PTSD, won CBC's first Jack Webster City Mike Award. A multi-platform look at opioid abuse survivors won a Gabriel Award in 2024. Got a tip? Yvette.Brend@cbc.ca