The Today’s Parent interviews: The mom and dads of the 2015 election

On the campaign trail, politicians are like the superhero versions of themselves. For 11 weeks, they bound tirelessly around the country, eager to enthusiastically shake as many hands and utter as many clever sound bites as humanly possible. But what are they really like in the off-hours—at home, without the cameras? At Today’s Parent, we’re intently interested in the challenges of raising children and, in a way (metaphorically, at least), the prime minister is the head of the Canadian family. So we asked the leaders of the four major parties what they’re like as parents—and they were all eager to talk about their kids, their struggles and triumphs as parents, and how they plan to help Canadian families. Read on for an eye-opening perspective on each of the candidates:

Stephen Harper

Elizabeth May

Thomas Mulcair

Justin Trudeau