Pierre Trudeau was a legendary Canadian politician who revitalized the country. His magnetic personality and revolutionary views and convictions propelled him to the most prestigious and responsible position in the country. His vivaciousness enthralled the youth, who dubbed themselves ‘Trudeaumania’. He was the generational change leader of his day. His unconventional thoughts and attitudes aided the country’s social and political upheavals, allowing it to progress. Trudeau dominated the country’s domestic reforms as well as its foreign and economic policies. He preserved national unity against the Quebec sovereignty movement and commissioned a new Charter of Rights and Freedoms under the Canadian constitution. His acute political acumen gained him global reputation.
Early Childhood of Pierre Trudeau
Charles-Émile Trudeau and Grace Elliott had three children. entrepreneur and lawyer.
Trudeau was educated at the prestigious Collège Jean-de-Brébeuf. After his father’s death, he was emotionally drained at school.
After leaving the Jesuit school, he studied law at the University of Montreal, graduating in 1943. He was recruited into the Canadian Army at university under the National Resources mobilization Act.
After WWII, he returned to school, earning a master’s degree in political economy from Harvard’s Graduate School of Public Administration before enrolling in France’s Institut d’Études Politiques in 1947.
Abandoning the Jesuit influence, his travels to various regions of the US and Europe exposed him to French philosophers. It also revealed his lack of legal understanding and expertise.
He finished his dissertation in Paris. But when he started a PhD program at the London School of Economics, he met the famed socialist economist Harold Laski.
A Career of Pierre Trudeau
In 1949, he joined the Liberal Prime Minister Louis St. Laurent’s Privy Council Office as an economic policy advisor. During this period, he was an enthusiastic supporter of the asbestos strikers.
As creator and editor of Cité Libre, he became a key figure in the opposition to Quebec Premier Maurice Duplessis’ oppressive regime.
Despite his sympathies for the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation, he entered politics as a Liberal Party of Canada member, not the CCF’s successor, the New Democratic Party.
He became an assistant professor of law at the University of Montreal in 1961. During this period, he became more anti-Quebec Nationalist. He also urged the Social Democratic and Labour parties to join forces with the Liberal Party to promote democracy.
In 1965, he was invited to run for part seats alongside two others. He won the secure Liberal constituency of Mount Royal, which he held until 1984.
He became PM Lester Pearson’s parliamentary secretary. He spent a lot of time representing the country at significant meetings and conferences.
He was finally named Minister of Justice in 1967. In his new role, he reformed the country’s legal system, taking into account the changing attitudes of the 1960s.
Abolishing abortion and homosexuality laws, and reforming divorce laws, he sponsored the Criminal Law Amendment Act. He enacted new gun control laws and authorized breathalyzer tests for suspected drunk drivers.
When Lester Pearson stepped down as Prime Minister in 1967, Trudeau ran for the Liberal Party leadership. His vivacity and unconventional opinions made him a symbol of generational change.
Despite party members’ concerns about his dedication, he won the fourth round with 51% of the vote. His rise was momentous, since he beat long-serving Liberals. Trudeaumanian followers, usually youngsters and teenagers,
He became Prime Minister on April 20, 1967. His stint in office began well. In his new role, he fought for universal health care. He used participatory democracy to build a “Just Society.”
As Prime Minister, he introduced several procedural changes to make Parliament and Liberal meetings more efficient. He also enlarged the Prime Minister’s role and responsibilities. He developed new measures to ensure state welfare.
His most remarkable internal change was the establishment of official bilingualism, which required all Federal services to be supplied in both French and English. The Official Languages Act was passed in 1969 after he endorsed Lester Pearson’s Royal Commission on Bilingualism and Biculturalism.
The country’s cultural element was also revamped during his tenure as PM, making it a multicultural, bilingual land.
As a result of the kidnappings of British Trade Consul James Cross and Quebec Labour Minister Pierre Laportet in October 1970, he introduced the ‘War Measures Act’, giving the government broad powers to imprison without trial.
In foreign affairs, he proclaimed universal peace and pushed Canada be admitted to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. During his presidency, he established connections with the US, China, and Cuba.
In the 1972 elections, he won with a small majority of votes from the New Democratic Party. In the 1974 elections, he won 141 seats out of 264. During his third tenure, the death penalty was abolished.
With rising inflation, a dwindling economy, mounting national debt, and public hostility, his demise as Prime Minister seemed imminent. He lost the spring 1979 elections to Joe Clark, but a series of events led to his re-election in 1980.
During his second tenure, he increased government assistance to the poorest inhabitants. He even proposed the National Energy Program, which was established in 1982 with Alberta Premier Peter Lougheed’s approval.
During his presidency, the rejection of the Quebec sovereignty referendum helped preserve Quebec unified with Canada. The other major event was Canada’s return from Britain.
His reform officially separated Canada from Queen Elizabeth II’s Britain. Queen Elizabeth II proclaimed the constitution on April 17, 1982. The act’s implementation gave citizens new civil rights.
After a poll confirmed the Liberals’ loss in the 1984 elections, he voluntarily stood down as Prime Minister, ending his 15-year reign. John Turner succeeded him on June 30.
His memoirs came out in 1993. The book was a hit, selling millions of copies. It went on to become one of Canada’s most popular books.
Honors & Awards
When he became Prime Minister, he became “The Right Honourable” for life. The Order of Canada later made him a Companion of Honour.
He got the Albert Einstein Peace Prize in 1983-84. The Canadian news agency also named him ‘Newsmaker of the Year’ ten times.
He received honorary degrees from universities such as the University of Montreal, Notre Dame, Queen’s, Duke, Ottawa, and Macau.
Several schools, universities, squares, airports, and summits bear his name.
Inducted into the Q Hall of Fame Canada in 2009.
Personal Legacy of Pierre Trudeau
After a two-year engagement with Hollywood actress Barbra Streisand, he married Margret Sinclair at St. Stephen’s Catholic Church in North Vancouver. The couple had three kids. However, incompatibility caused them to part, resulting in divorce.
During his last months as Prime Minister, he dated Canadian actress Margot Kidder.
In 1991, he had Sarah Coyne, Deborah’s daughter.
Parkinson’s illness and prostate cancer plagued him in his final days. His situation deteriorated when his son died in an avalanche.
He died on September 28, 2000. His state funeral drew politicians from all across the world. He was buried in the Trudeau family crypt in Saint-Rémi-de-Napierville Cemetery.
Estimated Net Worth
Pierre is one of the wealthiest and most popular politicians. Pierre Trudeau net worth is estimated at $1.5 Million by Wikipedia, Forbes, and Business Insider.
Trivia
The Takahashi School of Martial Arts in Ottawa awarded this Prime Minister a 2nd dan black belt in judo.