With millions of people watching and waiting for Justin Trudeau to make arguably the most pivotal announcement of his political career, notes placed on the podium for him were whisked away on wintry winds.
As he exited Rideau Cottage in Ottawa to tell the nation and a throng of reporters that he was resigning as Liberal leader and prime minister — pending a leadership contest already initiated — one page, then two, then three flitted away as a small chorus of “whoa” and “uh-oh” can be heard off camera.
“I’ll wing it,” Trudeau said to some tepid laughter, before approaching and seeing another sheet float away on the 15 km/h northwesterly breeze registered by Environment Canada at the time.
He was able to grab a fifth sheet before it could escape.
They’d sat undisturbed for about three minutes prior to his arrival after being placed there by a staffer before the two-minute warning to media.
It’s not known what was written on the pages, but it couldn’t have been that important as Trudeau went on to fold the remaining sheets and tuck them away on the podium before making his historic statement.
Off camera, a couple of people, including a person wearing beige pants and a turquoise jacket, can be seen collecting the pages before disappearing behind a group of people.
Read the full text of Justin Trudeau’s resignation speech.
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