Sophie Grégoire is opening up about her separation from Justin Trudeau as the former Canadian prime minister's relationship with singer Katy Perry continues to draw attention.
Grégoire addressed the subject during an interview on the "Arlene Is Alone" podcast, where she reflected on the impact of seeing an ex-husband begin a new relationship.
Grégoire, 50, told host Arlene Dickinson that emotional reactions in such situations are expected.
Calling it "normal" to be affected, she added, "We're human beings and stuff affects us. Normal. How you react to stuff is your decision. So I choose to try to listen to the music instead of the noise."
She noted that the visibility of the new relationship can intensify the experience.
"I'm very aware that a lot of public stuff out there can be triggers. Right, we're humans. What I do with it is my decision. The woman I want to become through this is my decision."
Grégoire added that she allows herself to feel difficult emotions, despite her efforts to stay grounded.
"Does that mean I don't have emotions? That I don't cry, scream, laugh? No. Especially that I'm a super tender heart, right? But it's my decision after that, between the emotion and the reaction," she said.
Her comments come after Trudeau and Perry's first public appearance as a couple on Oct. 25.
The two were seen in Paris during the pop star's birthday celebrations. They were initially linked in July, when they were spotted walking a dog together.
Trudeau announced his separation from Grégoire in August 2023 after 18 years of marriage.
"Hi everyone, Sophie and I would like to share the fact that after many meaningful and difficult conversation, we have made the decision to separate," he wrote in a statement posted on Instagram at the time.
"As always, we remain a close family with deep love and respect for each other and for everything we have built and will continue to build. For the well-being of our children, we ask that you respect our and their privacy. Thank you."
She said on the podcast that she has been working to stay conscious of her feelings since the separation, especially as publicity around Trudeau's new relationship has intensified.
"I'll let myself be disappointed by someone, I'll let myself be angry, be sad. And I know for a fact how important it is, as a mental health advocate, to feel those emotions," she said.
Still, she emphasized that she is working to avoid acting impulsively.
"You can stay in that reactive mode, but you'll suffer the consequences," she said, adding that at this stage of her life, she is focused on managing her own responses. "I'm also learning at 50 that people will meet life as where they are inside of them ... it's your choice to see that and be like, 'How am I going to let that affect my happiness?'"
Grégoire also addressed how she and Trudeau are supporting their children since the separation.
She said the pair remain aligned in their approach to parenting.
"We have separate lives, but we have one family life," she said. "You need a common, conscious decision that our family is our greatest creation and we're going to feed it together, no matter if we're on different life paths."
Zoe Papadakis ✉
Zoe Papadakis is a Newsmax writer based in South Africa with two decades of experience specializing in media and entertainment. She has been in the news industry as a reporter, writer and editor for newspapers, magazine and websites.
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