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About: The Toronto-based launch of Hope & Hard Work introduces a new chapter for two familiar figures in Canadian public life, with book adaptations already in development.
Title: Justin Trudeau and Katie Telford Launch Hope & Hard Work
Subject: The former Canadian prime minister and his longtime chief of staff are moving into film and television production.
About: The Toronto-based launch of Hope & Hard Work introduces a new chapter for two familiar figures in Canadian public life, with book adaptations already in development.
Former prime minister Justin Trudeau and his longtime chief of staff Katie Telford have launched a media and entertainment company, Hope & Hard Work, stepping from federal politics into film, television and other storytelling formats.
The pair announced the venture on September 11 at the Toronto International Film Festival. In its launch statement, the company described itself as a multidisciplinary enterprise focused on stories across film, television, audio and live experiences. It said it intends to work with creators on scripted and unscripted projects, with an initial slate that includes original concepts and adaptations.
The announcement drew attention in Canada because of the founders’ long association at the centre of national politics. Trudeau led the Liberal Party from 2013 and served as prime minister from 2015 until 2025. Telford was his chief of staff throughout his time in office, becoming one of the most prominent political strategists in Ottawa. Their new partnership puts that shared experience in a very different setting: building a production business and developing stories for audiences.
The company’s first announced projects draw on Canadian authors. One is an adaptation of Perry Chafe’s coming-of-age novel *Closer by Sea*, set in Newfoundland. Another is *Detective Aunty*, based on Toronto writer Uzma Jalaluddin’s mystery novel. Trudeau and Telford are attached as executive producers on projects in the early slate, according to the announcement and Canadian Press reporting. The launch material also lists Leesa Ronald’s novel *Power Moves* among books the company has optioned.
Those choices give the new venture an identifiable Canadian starting point: a Newfoundland-set story, a Toronto author’s mystery and a wider ambition to develop work that can travel beyond Canada. The company says it wants to support distinctive voices and stories that can entertain, spark conversation and connect people. Its website describes a broad remit spanning scripted and unscripted production, audio and live experiences, though the first announced titles suggest books will be one route into its screen projects.
The timing placed the company’s introduction amid Toronto’s busiest annual film-industry gathering. TIFF brings filmmakers, distributors, media executives and audiences to the city, making it a natural stage for a new production banner to present itself and begin conversations about future projects. The launch does not, by itself, mean that the announced adaptations have entered production; the public materials describe them as being developed.
For Trudeau, the move adds an entertainment venture to the public speaking and appearances that have followed his departure from office. For Telford, it opens a new professional chapter after a decade in the Prime Minister’s Office. Neither founder is new to shaping a public narrative, but producing film and television will depend on collaborators, creative talent, financing and eventual distribution partners beyond their political careers.
The name Hope & Hard Work echoes language associated with Trudeau’s political messaging, while the company’s stated purpose places storytelling at the centre of its identity. Whether its first projects become screen productions will be watched closely in Canada, especially given the founders’ profiles and the stories’ Canadian settings.
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The company launch and announced development slate are confirmed in its public materials and reporting by Reuters and The Canadian Press. Details such as production schedules, distribution partners and release dates have not been announced.
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