Pierre Elliott Trudeau Trudeau brought a breath of fresh air to Canadian politics and a new term entered the language - Trudeaumania. His message, that bilingualism was to be the future for Canada, was very clear. He won a sound majority on the 25th of June 1968 by defeating Bob Stanfield, the new Conservative leader.

The Election of 1968  In 1968 the Liberals led by Pierre Trudeau defeated the Conservatives by 155 seats to 72 seats forming a majority government.  The charismatic Trudeau campaigned on the slogan of a “Just Society.”  Bob Stanfield could not match the “style” of Pierre Trudeau.

Trudeau and Quebec Trudeau rejected the separatist vision of Quebec as a French nation in North America.separatist vision of Quebec as a French nation in North America His former colleague and intellectual rival in the struggle for the future of Quebec was Rene Levesque. Trudeau would not support any special status for Quebec. One of his most important pieces of legislation was the “Official Languages Act” which established English and French as the languages of government.

Trudeau and Quebec II The greatest challenge of the Trudeau years was the FLQ (Front de Liberation du Quebec) crisis in October of This terrorist group kidnapped the British Trade Commissioner (James Cross) and a Quebec Cabinet Minister, Pierre Laporte. Before the crisis was over Laporte had been murdered and the War Measures Act invoked by Trudeau.War Measures Act invoked by Trudeau.

Trudeau and Quebec III  Rene Levesque’s Parti Quebecois had demonstrated increasing strength during the early 1970s.  In 1977 Bill 101 was passed by the Quebec government making French the only language of government, business and education.  In 1980 Levesque held a referendum on sovereignty-association but lost when 60 percent voted “non.”

Trudeau and the Constitution  Trudeau believed that constitutional reform was an important step in resolving the problem of Quebec.  It was his goal to patriate the British North America Act and to establish a new Canadian constitution with an entrenched Charter of Rights and Freedoms.  This was finally achieved in the spring of BNA

The Canadian Economy  The Canadian economy continued to grow in the 1970s but job opportunities shrank and unemployment began to rise.  Another serious problem in the economy was inflation which caused many prices to double.  Trudeau was finally forced to introduce wage and price controls in  By 1978 the Trudeau Liberals had resorted to cutting government spending as a measure to control inflation.

Trudeau and the World  Trudeau became both a domestic and an international symbol of the independence of the individual.  He turned Canada away from the United Sates and sought more contact with Europe, Africa and the Pacific region.  Trudeau slashed the size of Canada’s armed forces and reduced our NATO commitment in Europe.

Trudeau and the World II  A major foreign policy review was carried out by the Trudeau government in 1970 resulting in a policy called “The Third Option.”  This policy stressed increasing Canada’s contacts with the world and reducing our dependency on the United States.  Trudeau played an important role in re-establishing official contacts with Communist China.

Trudeau and the World III  Canadian aid programs and trade contacts with the “third world” increased during this period.  We continued our valuable work with the Commonwealth and strengthened ties with the French-speaking world through “La Francophonie.”  In spite of our reduced commitment to NATO we continued our support of NORAD but rejected the use of nuclear weapons.

Literature  The years 1945 to 1980 were an important period in the development of Canadian literature.  Gabrielle Roy was born in Manitoba but has become associated with Quebec. Gabrielle Roy  Her novel, The Tin Flute, won a Literary Guild of America prize in 1947.

Literature II  Other important writers of this period include Hugh MacLennan, Robertson Davies, Margaret Laurence and W.O. Mitchell.Robertson Davies  Pierre Burton continues, today, to be a popular historian.  Earle Birney and Leonard Cohen achieved prominence as poets.

Television  The CBC commenced its television service in 1952 but most Canadians had their introduction to this new medium through American programming.  The favorite Canadian television programs of the era included, Tommy Hunter’s “Country Hoedown”, “Front Page Challenge”, “Wayne and Shuster” and “Hockey Night in Canada.”

Stratford Shakespeare Festival  In 1953 Tom Patterson began the first of the annual Shakespeare festivals in Stratford, Ontario.  The success of Stratford has inspired a large number of similar live theatres across Canada.  Many Canadian actors who began careers in Canada’s live theatre have gone on to international success.

Music and Film  Popular Canadian singers of the 1970s and 1980s included Anne Murray, Gordon Lightfoot and Maureen Forester.Gordon Lightfoot  The French-Canadian film industry produced award winning work by Claude Jutra.  The National Film Board is remembered for films like Why Shoot the Teacher and Goin’ Down the Road.National Film Board

Conclusion By the end of the Trudeau era in 1984 Canada faced many unresolved problems. National unity, the Constitution, the economy, our identity, our relationship with the United States as well as with the world, were all troubling issues that were to occupy successive Canadian governments.

Chapter 6- Canada & the Post- War World- Activities: Do “Activity Sheet 6-2”- Know these People! Know time-line on page 132 Do “Activities”: -Page 135:1-4 -Page 139:1-5 -Page 146:1-6 -Page 150:1-4 -Page 156:1-5 -Page 158:1-4

Chapter 7- A Changing Society- Activities: Do “Activity Sheet 7-1”- Know time-line on page 161 Do “Activities”: -Page 167:1-6 -Page 173:1-5 -Page 176:1-4 -Page 182:1-4 -Page 187:1-5

Chapter – The Canadian Identity- Activities: Do “Activity Sheet 8-1”- Know time-line on page 191 Do “Activities”: -Page 194:1-5 -Page 200:1-7 -Page 204:1-5 -Page 206:1-5 -Page 216:1-6

Image Credits

 Slide # 5 National Archives of Canada C  Slide # 15 National Archives of Canada C  Slide # 18 Private Collection, R.W. White  Slide # 23 National Archives of Canada PA  Slide # 39 National Archives of Canada PA  Slide # 40 National Archives of Canada PA  Slide # 41 Private Collection, R.W. White  Slide # 49 National Archives of Canada PA  Slide # 53 Private Collection, R.W. White  Slide # 51 Private Collection, R.W. White  Slide # 54 Private Collection, R.W. White  Slide # 55 Private Collection, R.W. White Every effort has been made to credit images and sound used in this presentation. All images and sound clips not otherwise credited have obtained from clip art collections or are believed to be in the public domain. The authors would be pleased to correct any omissions.

Image Credits  Slide # 57 National Archives of Canada PA  Slide # 60 National Archives of Canada C  Slide # 63 National Archives of Canada C  Slide # 64 National Archives of Canada PA  Slide # 69 National Archives of Canada  Slide # 80 Penguin Books  Slide # 87 Private Collection, R.W. White