Prime Minister Justin Trudeau declined Wednesday to carve out an official role for the spouse of the Canadian head of government, noting it's up to each family at 24 Sussex to decide how to serve.

Trudeau spent half an hour at a press conference to mark the House of Commons rising for the summer, taking a range of questions about his government and upcoming international summits.

Trudeau's wife, Sophie Grégoire Trudeau, has been high-profile since he took office last November. A former entertainment reporter, Grégoire-Trudeau has taken on a number of charitable events and drawn attention to Canadian designers after sporting their clothes on international visits. She also drew criticism for telling a Quebec newspaper she needs a staff to manage her workload.

Asked whether the time has come for the country's leader to set out an official spousal role, Trudeau said he's proud of Grégoire Trudeau for the work she's done on behalf of women's and children's charities.

"She continues to have an enormous amount to offer not just to the government, but for Canadians," Trudeau said in French. "But we recognize too that that should be a free choice. It shouldn't necessarily be imposed on all future spouses of all future prime ministers... I think people recognize that different families have different solutions, different capacities, and [need] to keep a certain flexibility to respond to the way someone wants to serve."

Laureen Harper, the wife of former prime minister Stephen Harper, kept a lower profile, choosing a handful of charities like the National Arts Centre gala and the Ottawa Humane Society. And while the spouse of the U.S. president has a long-established role that comes with staff, an office and the ability to champion an official cause, there is no equivalent for the spouse of the Canadian prime minister.