Justin Trudeau is thinking about running as a federal Liberal candidate in Montreal, according to a report.

Montreal La Presse reported Tuesday that the 35-year-old son of former prime minister Pierre Trudeau is considering a run in the riding of Outremont, which is held by Liberal MP Jean Lapierre. Lapierre has said he will not run in the next election.

Justin Trudeau introduces leadership candidate Gerard Kennedy at the Liberal leadership convention in December.
(Ryan Remiorz/Canadian Press)

Trudeau, who has said he may be interested in entering politics, would not confirm or deny the report.

"I have no comment to make at this time," Trudeau said in an e-mail to the Montreal Gazette.

Trudeau captured the spotlight during the recent Liberal leadership contest in December, where he attended the convention as an observer and publicly endorsed former Ontario education minister Gerard Kennedy.

In a recent interview with Maclean's magazine, Trudeau apparently hinted that he had decided to run for a seat in the House of Commons in the next general election and would make an announcement after Christmas.

But some Liberals in the Outremont riding are apparently not keen on Trudeau as a candidate in that riding.

"Some people are saying, 'if you think I am going to lift a finger to help a poster boy, you are wrong,'" one senior Liberal told the Montreal Gazette.

Another Liberal said Trudeau is making a mistake believing the riding will greet him with open arms because of his famous father.

"He has to do his homework," the Liberal told the Gazette. "At the convention, people were saying they don't want a 'Trudeau-lite.'"

Trudeau lives in the Montreal riding of Mont-Royal but incumbent Liberal MP Irwin Cotler has indicated he will run in the next federal election.

With files from the Canadian Press