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Sophie Gregoire Trudeau talks parental leave and friendship with Meghan on 'Archetypes' podcast

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Sophie Gregoire Trudeau, wife of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, appeared on a podcast on Tuesday hosted by the Duchess of Sussex, where the two talked about motherhood and reminisced about their friendship.

"For homies, it's Sophie G in the house!" Gregoire Trudeau introduced herself on the podcast.

In the a podcast dedicated to discussing "the labels that try to hold women back," the Duchess of Sussex explained how Gregoire Trudeau and her kids had joined her last summer for a pool party.

"We swam, we drank wine, we splashed in the water. Then threw some pool floats in," Meghan said.

"This was the other version of us. Both with wild curly hair and swimsuits and loose linen and huge belly laughs. Big cuddles with our little ones and quiet whispers of girl talk on the terrace, giddy, like absolute school girls. We were just having so much fun."

The two women also recalled how they first met at the Canadian Fashion Awards more than seven years ago, back when the Duchess of Sussex, then known only as Meghan Markle, was living in Toronto while working as an actress.

Meghan called Gregoire Trudeau a "dear friend" and "a person who cares deeply about her friends," sharing that the prime minister's wife had sent her words of encouragement during her pregnancy.

"I just absolutely adore you," Meghan told Gregoire Trudeau. "And Sophie and I have known each other for, gosh, how many years now since I was living in Toronto?"

GREGOIRE TRUDEAU, MEGHAN CALL FOR PAID PARENTAL LEAVE

In the second half of her show, Meghan and Gregoire Trudeau talked about the evolving role of motherhood and lamented the lack of paid parental leave in the United States.

"Our sense of community has completely exploded. We have sisters who can mother, we have aunties who can mother, we have friends who can mother. Mothering is a way of being. It's not just biological," said Gregoire Trudeau.

The Duchess of Sussex said the changing role of motherhood further underscores the need for paid parental leave in the U.S.

"Imagine having a baby and then having to make a choice of, 'Oh I can stay home with my child but if I do, I won’t have a job anymore.' It doesn’t make any sense!" Meghan said.

Of the 38 Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development nations, the U.S. is the only one that doesn't mandate any weeks of paid parental leave, although U.S. labour laws do allow for 12 weeks of unpaid leave for new parents.

"Parental leave across the world!" Gregoire Trudeau agreed.

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