Justin Trudeau using father Pierre Trudeau's desk

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's father Pierre was prime minister from 1968-1984

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will be sharing something important with his late father, former Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau: his desk.

Mr Trudeau found former Prime Minister Stephen Harper's desk too large and asked for a replacement, sources told CBC News.

Staff retrieved his father's desk, which had been in storage for 15 years.

One reporter tweeted that Mr Harper's desk has been taken apart and moved into a warehouse.

Pierre Trudeau's former desk was also used by former Canadian Prime Ministers Sir Wilfrid Laurier, Lester Pearson, Jean Chretien and Paul Martin, CBC reports.

The long-time prime minister died in 2000 just shy of his 81st birthday after suffering from prostate cancer and Parkinson's disease.

His early popularity lead to the phrase "Trudeaumania".

But as Justin grew up he shied away from politics, becoming a teacher.

In 1998, his youngest brother Michel was killed in an avalanche in British Columbia. That tragedy forced him into the public spotlight and he became a spokesman for avalanche safety.

Following his father's death, he became more active in politics, gaining election as a Liberal member of parliament in 2008.