Trudeau runs for Canadian leadership

Hoping to turn around the fortunes of Canada’s once-dominant Liberal Party, the eldest son of the late prime minister Pierre Trudeau announced he was following his father’s footsteps and launching his bid to obtain the party’s leadership.

Justin Trudeau, 40, a charismatic member of Parliament since 2008, made the announcement in front of hundreds of supporters packing a community centre in his Montreal district, ending days of speculation and adding sizzle to the political contest which officially begins next month and ends in April 2013.