Prime Minister
1968-1979, 1980-1984
By Graham
McAllister
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Born to wealthy family in Montreal

Quebecois and Scottish parents
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Travelled often
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Studied law at Harvard

Supported labour unions

Founded Cite Libre, a political journal
Early Career

Elected as Liberal MP

Minister of Justice
 Reformed divorce laws
 Lifted laws against abortion, homosexuality
“Trudeaumania”

Became very popular during election
campaign
 Charismatic, nonconformist, young

Elected Prime Minister in 1968
October Crisis

FLQ kidnapped government officials

Trudeau invoked War Measures Act
Official Languages Act

Made English and French the official
languages of Canada

Bill 101 made French the only language of
Quebec
Patriated the Constitution

Brought the constitution home from Britain

Successfully negotiated details with
provinces
Charter of Rights and Freedoms

Included in Constitution

Protects human rights of Canadians
National Debt

Social programs created government debt

Lost support when he regulated prices/wages
U.S. Relations

Poor relations with United States
 Restricted Canadian investment in US
 Criticized US foreign policy
Quebec Sovereignty

Opposed to Quebec separatism

Influenced Quebec separation referendum
End of first period: 1968-1979

“Trudeaumania” fading

Rising national debt

Trudeau lost election and resigned
Re-election in 1980

Conservative government lost confidence
vote

Trudeau called back as Liberal leader

Won election
End of second period: 1980-1984

National Energy Program lost Western
support

Resigned as P.M. In 1984
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Memoirs, Pierre Trudeau, published 1993 by Pierre Elliot Trudeau
Trudeau, Pierre Elliot, http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com,
Reg Whittaker, updated 2010
CBC.ca – The Greatest Canadian – Top Ten Greatest Canadians –
Pierre Trudeau,
http://www.cbc.ca/greatest/top_ten/nominee/trudeaupierre.html, no named author
Trudeau-Profiles-First Among Equals,
http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/2/4/h4-3375-e.html, from
Canada’s Prime Ministers, Biographies and Anecdotes, published
1994
Pierre Trudeau, AHW Canada History,
http://www.canadahistory.com/Index.htm, Martin O’Malley, CBC
NEWS ONLINE, 2008
Canadian Charter of Rights And Freedoms – History,
http://www.charterofrights.ca/en/26_00_01, no named author,
2006