As the federal Liberal party convened in Montreal to discuss economic policies, including a controversial proposal to tax young, educated Canadians $500,000 for leaving the country, former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was spotted enjoying a different kind of gathering. Trudeau and his girlfriend, pop star Katy Perry, attended the Coachella music festival in Indio, California, where they danced to Justin Bieber's performance and shared intimate moments captured on social media.
A Night of Music and Canoodling
Perry, 41, posted a series of updates from the festival to her Instagram account, which boasts over 200 million followers. In one video, she screamed with excitement as Bieber launched into his 2010 hit "Baby," with Trudeau smiling behind her while wearing a backward baseball cap. The couple was seen bathed in red lighting, smiling and canoodling during Bieber's rendition of "Speed Demon" from his 2025 album "Swag II."
Perry humorously commented on Bieber's use of YouTube Premium to select songs during his 30-track setlist, quipping, "Thank God he has premium. I don't want to see no ads." Her slideshow, captioned "heat checkin' these chickens"—a lyric from "Speed Demon"—also included photos of the pair eating noodles together and holding hands as they walked through the concert grounds.
Festival Essentials and Fashion Choices
In a video, Perry showcased her Coachella survival kit, which included Balenciaga sunglasses, Ziacam, vitamins, hand sanitizer, OneSkin lip balm, deodorant, trail mix, jewelry, cash, and a mask. She wore black combat-style boots, shorts, and a white T-shirt with the message, "Pls do not give me a rip off your vape no matter what I say." Trudeau opted for a casual '90s-inspired look with a plain white tee, friendship bracelets, jeans, sneakers, and a backward Montreal Alouettes cap.
Fans on Instagram celebrated the couple, with one writing, "Hanging out with two great Canadian boys for the night! Lucky gal!" Another added, "JT looks so happy, good for him!" while a third noted, "From private high school teacher, to prime minister, into Katy Perry's man ... JT's life needs to be studied."
Personal Happiness and Family Insights
Trudeau and Perry were first linked in summer 2025 after her split from actor Orlando Bloom, with whom she shares a five-year-old daughter. Following Trudeau's separation from his wife, Sophie Grégoire, in 2023 after 18 years of marriage, a source told People magazine in October 2025 that Trudeau "is a much happier person now." The insider explained, "Justin has had a lot of upheavals in the past couple of years, both in his professional-political status and at home with the split from Sophie. Stresses are greatly diminished. And he is intrigued with Katy. They have fun together, laugh a lot, talk about everything ... His life is much improved, and his relationship with Katy has had a lot to do with it."
Trudeau's son Xavier, 18, a budding musician, spoke about his father's relationship on the Can't Be Censored podcast, saying, "When I'm really happy with a song, I send it to her. She's always happy to give me advice or tell me what I should change. She's super nice. She's super down to earth. She's great. I think that my dad's happy, so that's important."
Liberal Convention and Controversial Tax Proposal
Before heading to Coachella, Trudeau appeared via video at the Liberal party convention in Montreal, urging unity and effort, stating, "Canada needs a strong and dynamic Liberal party ... the Liberal party has always been ambitious for Canada and Canadians." He added, "I am really excited to see what you can all accomplish under Mark's leadership this weekend and for the years to come, but remember: The Canada we've built together didn't happen by accident and won't continue without effort."
During a panel titled "Building a Stronger, More Competitive Canadian Economy," guest speaker Patrick Pichette, a former senior vice president at Google who lives in Europe, proposed a tax on educated Canadians wanting to leave the country for opportunities in the United States. Pichette cited the TN visa program, which allows professionals to work in the U.S. easily, suggesting, "You want to save yourself $5 billion, $10 billion. Shut the TN program. Keep them in Canada or make them pay their half a million. You want to go to the U.S? Give me back my money. Like my dad, my mom—you all work every day to offer them their education. You can't let five billion or ten billion a year of your hard-earned cash go so that Microsoft can get smarter."
Political Context and Byelections
Prime Minister Mark Carney, who took over from Trudeau in 2025 and revitalized the Liberals, addressed the convention amid rising unemployment and stalled trade talks with the U.S. He emphasized unity, saying, "We are meeting in the middle of a transformation that will define this country for generations and Canadians sense it." This comes as three federal byelections are set for Monday, adding pressure to the party's economic strategies.
The juxtaposition of Trudeau's festive outing with Perry and the serious policy debates at the Liberal convention highlights the diverse narratives unfolding in Canadian politics and celebrity culture. As Trudeau enjoys his post-political life with Perry, his party grapples with contentious ideas to retain talent and bolster the economy, setting the stage for ongoing discussions on national identity and global competitiveness.
