Apollo Wins the Canadian Election
The Apollo Belvedere
Canadians, it seems, have thrown out old and cold Saturn in favour of Apollo himself, the god of light. In other words, Justin Trudeau’s Liberal party trounced Stephen Harper’s Conservatives.
Harper was older, colder, stiffer and meaner. Trudeau’s approach to politics? “Sunny ways, Canadians, sunny ways.”
Truly blessed by the gods – Trudeau’s movie star looks hide a sharp mind
Justin Trudeau was born in the purple on Christmas Day, 1971. His father Pierre Trudeau was prime minister — and still riding the wave of “Trudeaumania” that swept him to power. In fact Trudeau Pere would go on to serve for more than a decade, so JT grew up in the power house. This legacy is something that JT will never get away from — but that may not be a problem for him at all.
Justin Trudeau has the Sun in Capricorn, a traditionalist’s sign — and in fact, Saturn’s sign. So it turns out that beneath the “sunny ways” lies a steely and ambitious resolve –– and a determination to carry on the legacy that we know about. What is more, Saturn is the most angular planet in this chart, right on the MC, a point which is associated with the stronger parent. Justin Trudeau, like his father before him, is here for the long haul, and he intends to rule.
Saturn at the top of the chart — sometimes the loss of a parent or being brought up by a lone father/mother. Both are true for Trudeau, and this would be a key influence in JT’s life. He is self-reliant, passionate and a fascinating mixture of calculating and impetuous. He’s brave, definitely, but also lacking in empathy. This does not mean he is not compassionate — on the contrary, he is, very — but that he has a hard time imagining himself to be anything other than what he is. He is compassionate not from imaginative co-creating but through conviction and ideology. It’s not like he’s ever thought there but for the grace of god… on the contrary.
“We knew we were the luckiest kids in the world. And we had done nothing to actually deserve it.
“It was instead something that we would have to spend the rest of our lives to work very hard to live up to.” – from Justin Trudeau’s eulogy for his father
You need that Capricorn ambition and focus to rise to power — even if it did seem effortless. He’s also helped by the other cardinal planets. Pluto in Libra makes a neat square to his Sun Trudeau’s plans are also ambitious — and exciting. He’s got the majority in Parliament that he needs to implement them, if he moves quickly. On the agenda are: more refugees, legalising marijuana, reaching out to the indigenous tribes of Canada, and actually doing something about climate change. Oh and taxing the rich to give to the middle.
His mother Margaret Trudeau — 30 years younger than Pierre — famously lost custody of her children when the couple finally divorced in the 1980s. She had already semi-abandoned her family: she was apparently dancing in Studio 54 in New York when Pierre lost the 1979 election. She did a lot of tell-all interviews subsequently and has published a book on bipolar disorder. In short, she’s pretty much the opposite of Saturnian. She was a real wild child whom Pierre never tamed. Note JT’s Aries Moon in the 8th House — a place of wilderness — opposite Uranus, the planet of non-conformists everywhere. In contrast to his father’s May-September union, JT married a childhood friend.
This chart comes from astrodatabank with an A rating.
Moon in Aries can have an explosive temper. He must keep that under control, but when it comes out — whoa, hold on to your hair. In fact, all the fire in this chart is useful because it warms up the Saturn elements nicely. Natally, Trudeau has Jupiter in fiery, expansive Sagittarius. This is a powerful placement but inclined to over-reach, and it just magnifies that warrior Moon.
Virgo Rising does give him a problem solving approach to the world. He wants to fix things but may be inclined to simultaneously get sucked into too much detail and waffling thanks to the Jupiter and Mercury in Sagittarius. Right now Jupiter is giving all Virgoan and Virgo Rising politicians a big boost. Just look at socialist Bernie Sanders just across the border — who’d’ve thunk that one? Jupiter will be in Trudeau’s first house until next summer, raising his popularity and personal appeal further. This transit also gives him the positive, expansive energy to make some profound changes — possibly in the way Canada is governed — as it trines Pluto in Capricorn most of that time.
One of the most interesting placements in his chart is Mars in Pisces — at the final degree. This is actually the very last degree of the Zodiac — the most universalist placement in the entire circle. It squares Jupiter in Sagittarius. This is an idealistic man, prepared to fight for his beliefs, or maybe this is compassion that he’s willing to fight for. Judging by the policies we know about, this may well be the case.
Canadians are occasionally sneered at for being “nice” by their cousins to the south, but the really huge dollop of sunshiney niceness promised by Trudeau might turn out to be just the spoonful of honey we all need in the West. It’ll be interesting to see if he brings more equality and justice to Canada — both for the indigenous people and the ordinary middle classes. Both his promise to raise taxes on the 1% and find out about the missing First Nation girls. This latter is no small thing — more than 1000 indigenous girls have gone missing.
JT was elected an MP in 2008, as Pluto, the planet of power and transformation, moved into Capricorn conjoining his natal Sun. His rise to power was fairly rapid after that, taking even him by surprise — apparently.
He has a handful of planets at 2-3° making aspects to his Virgo Ascendant. In particular, the Sun is flanked perfectly by Venus (beauty and art) and Neptune (glamour and music). This is one of the few politician’s who really could have been a film-star. Apollo the Sun prince was the son of Zeus, King of Olympus. He was a musician and healer, a charmer and seducer, a (relatively) reasonable god in an unreasonable pantheon.
His Conservative rivals were right in a way. It does look like JT’s Achilles’ heel could be his inexperience; nor is he especially a team player.
Fascinating reading! It will be interesting to watch (from south of the Canadian border). I wish it would indicate some tide of progressive/liberal shift down here, but I’m doubtful. Anyway, I’m old enough to remember photos of Trudeau père and his flower-child young wife splashing across our magazines here (or Margaret and Jagger, etc). Sounds like fils has inherited some of his father’s flare and intelligence, though with a more settled (Saturn) home life.
Such an interesting post, thank you Christina. It will be intriguing to see the impact of his premiership not only on Canada, but on the world in general. I too remember his father and mother quite well. Doesn’t seem that long ago.
(On a personal level I too have Moon in Aries in 8th in aspect to Uranus. I had a very unconvential and deeply emotional, occasionally unstable mother – whose qualities and legacy I now appreciate more and more. For one thing she introduced me to astrology which she was fascinated by. Good to get your take on this placement.)
Just to point out mm – premiership refers to provincial politics here, as they are Premiers of their province. Trudeau is a federal leader, the Prime Minister.
On another interesting note, he and his two other siblings – Alexandre and the deceased Michel, all have Sun/Pluto aspects. The first two – Sun square Pluto; the latter, Sun conjunct Pluto. Perhaps it goes with the territory of having had an extremely powerful father.
By all accounts, though, he was very devoted to his sons and raised them almost singlehandedly in a time where single fathers were definitely few and far between.
Harper was the country’s Pluto. Everything about Harper’s rule was the negative manifestation of Pluto, as we were having our Pluto opposite Sun transit. (and having had 2 devastating Pluto transits myself in the past 5 years (conj Moon and shortly after, MC), could easily recognize the astrological significance and manifestations.
Uranus is Rxing over Canada’s ascendant, and Jupiter is only a few degrees away from conjuncting our NN. New look, new direction!
Thanks for the clarification, S. And that’s very interesting info re the brothers’ Sun/Pluto aspects.
I have been looking at the chart for Canada. It looks like there are two. Which one do you prefer? I have to say I found the idea of Aries rising a bit of a surprise
After writing this, I realised that Greek PM Alexis Tsipras also has Pluto in Libra.
Finally I get to see my Pluto in Libra generation taking power…and I am hoping they will share some of my ideals…With Justin Trudeau I share not only the outer planets placements but also Jupiter in Sagittarius. Curious how will he express the zeitgeist of my generation.
Interesting the meaning of his surname “Thor’s god”.
Good article, thank you, although regarding ‘right on the MC, a point which is associated with the stronger parent.’ I would argue the MC describes the parent with the higher public profile. Or to put it another way the parent that has the most influence on the natives public persona, rather than the stronger parent/parental influence per se.
I think with among other things his Neptune/Saturn opposition you might finish disappointed with this person. Ex Muslim Ayaan Hirsi Ali begged people not to vote for him because of his distorted views about Islam (these extend to Israel too) and she has been sufficiently justified since by pictures of him dressed not as Apollo but as a Muslim in a mosque and reciting, however seriously no one knows, the convert’s prayer. This guy is going to sway between Cap conservatism or at least, pragmatism and a kind of liberal extravagance that might owe something to the maternal side suggested by the moon opposite Uranus. I might suggest reading my astro expose of what I call “The Madness of Mutti Mummy Merkel” at http://wp.me/p4kNWg-90 There are likely to be a few parallels, persons looking in two directions and not going anywhere really helpful for society at large and not being what people who voted for them imagined.
It’s interesting that he has been elected on the Saturn-Neptune square!
I am very suspicious of political dynasties, Rollan, and I suspect you may be right. I don’t think the combination of Aries Moon plus Capricorn Sun in those houses bodes especially well.
I have just discovered and will paste the following from the Tyl site I sometimes visit. It seems the birth time is likely different. Rose Markus Astrolink had noted
“The 12:31 pm birth time comes from Anne Massey who tells me Lynn Maddox got the birth time directly/verbally from his mother Margret Trudeau. Chris McRae informed me that the birth time of 9:27 pm was published by the newspaper. I have worked with both but feel that Aries rising is appropriate – just look at him! (He looks like Roman of yore to me!) To me, the election transit Moon/Pluto falling in his 10th house is appropriate for winning the election for the stewardship of the country.”
and on Tyl it was commented
A Virgo rising Asc is bogus, especially square to Neptune. Read up on his biography. He’s a fighter, advocate, former bouncer, not a cerebral analyzer or intellectual”
So there are some questions here – perhaps something afflicted Neptune is always going to surround this politician?!.
From what I have read about him, Aries rising does seem much more appropriate. He does not seem to suffer from the self-doubt you’d expect from Virgo Rising. Also — and this is just an instinct — he feels vain, not a Virgo Rising characteristic at all.
So thanks for passing that on Rollan.