Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has met his namesake – a squishy-faced Syrian refugee baby – who was named after him after the baby’s parents fled the long civil war.
Afraa Haj Hammoud and Mohammed Belal said they wanted to thank the Canadian PM, after he welcomed them into the country as refugees in February.
They named their baby, who was born in May, Justin-Trudeau Adam Bilal.
Hamoud said the decision was not immediate; the couple discussed names for their son for two months.
She explained: “My husband says, ‘how about if we name the boy Justin-Trudeau, like him,’” Afraa told CBC, shortly after their son was born.
She said she was initially shocked by the suggestion, but quickly came round to the idea.
The couple left Syria about six years ago, fleeing first to Lebanon, before heading to Calgary, in Canada three years later.
When Trudeau was elected, the Canadian government allowed tens of thousands of Syrian refugees into the country.
.@JustinTrudeau met Justin-Trudeau Adam Bilal in #Calgary today. Background: https://t.co/u91OQexycZ #cdnpoli pic.twitter.com/qA2kvBXeXn
— Adam Scotti (@AdamScotti) July 15, 2017
