Article content

One thing’s for sure: Canada has just elected the most touchy-feely Prime Minister in its history. But the country will not be seeing just a measurable increase in the use of the words “love,” “caring” and “hope” in political speeches. Brace yourself for the surge in the following gestures on Parliament Hill.

Hand on heart

We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

tap here to see other videos from our team. Try refreshing your browser, or Emoting 101: Decoding the gestures of the touchy-feely Trudeau era Back to video

Plenty of Prime Ministers put their hands over their hearts during oaths or the singing of the national anthem. Trudeau has extended the gesture to that moment when a leader ascends to a lectern but the crowd refuses to stop cheering. U.S. president Barack Obama usually reacts to this by pointing his chin up and looking pensive. Tom Mulcair and Stephen Harper have endured with impatient smiles. Trudeau, however, manages not only a hand on his heart but moist eyes and a glowing expression, all delivered as a kind of silent “For me? Oh my God, thank you.”

For reasons that science can never explain, there are thousands of parents who feel the need to thrust their young children into the arms of politicians. During the campaign, Trudeau made it a habit of happily accepting these babies, checking to see whether their knees locked and then balancing them on his hands for the cameras. Just as Jean Chretien made it a habit to pretend to choke people, this might become the signature move of the new Prime Minister. The new children of MPs, the offspring of visiting dignitaries, Make-a-Wish kids touring Parliament Hill; all will be perilously balanced on the hands of Canada’s G7 leader.