Pierre Trudeaus Just Society Essays - Pierre Trudeau,

Pierre Trudeau's Just Society In 1968, Pierre Elliott Trudeau had just become Canada's fifteenth prime minister. "I've always dreamt of a society where each person should be able to fulfill himself to the extent of his capabilities as a human being, a society where inhibitions to equality would be eradicated. This means providing individual freedoms, and equality of opportunity, health, and education, and I conceive of politics as a series of decisions to create this society." Trudeau, who resigned as prime minister in 1984, died on September 28, 2000, at the age of eighty. He believed that the nation must be strong enough to withstand the overwhelming economic and cultural pressures from its giant neighbor, the United States, and he believed in a "Just Society," one of his favorite phrases that held many meanings for him. The concept of a Just Society was never merely a convenient phrase; it was the inspiration for Trudeau's deepest feelings. He believed that the ever- widening gulf between rich and poor at home and in underdeveloped countries should be reduced. He thought it was the government's responsibility to provide equal status, equal opportunity, and fair treat-merit for all. As justice minister he introduced legislation that broadened grounds for divorce and abortions and abolished penalties for homosexual acts between consenting adults, with the famous remark, "The state has no business in the bedrooms of the nation." One of Trudeau's first moves as prime minister was to make Canada a bilingual country, with the Official Languages Act, which gave French and English equal status by law. Trudeau also "brought home" the Canadian constitution with the Constitution Act of 1982, rectifying an anomaly from the previous century that required the amending process to be approved by the British Parliament. He incorporated a Charter of Rights and Freedoms into the Constitution, which enshrined French and English education rights across the country; created PetroCanada, Canada's own oil company; instituted the controversial National Energy Program, which extended federal government control of the gas and oil industry; appointed the first woman to the Supreme Court of Canada and the first female governor-general; and introduced new employment and educational opportunities for the young. "Not all his policies were well received," recalls Ivan Head, Trudeau's former principal adviser on foreign policy. "His National Energy Program in 1980, designed to increase Canadian ownership of the oil industry from 15 percent to 50 percent, to introduce conservation measures, and to revise the division of oil revenues between the producing provinces and the federal government created immense controversy. The province of Alberta and the United States government both retaliated against what they regarded as `anti-Alberta' and `anti-American' actions. Trudeau was "a breath of fresh air for what was then a very staid society, which has undergone tremendous change because of his impact." Trudeaumania was the Nickname given in early 1968. Trudeaumania continued during the subsequent federal election campaign and during Mr. Trudeau's early years as Prime Minister of Canada. Many young people in Canada at this time were influenced by the 1960s counterculture and identified with Trudeau, a young, energetic, nonconformist. They were dazzled by Trudeau's charm and good looks, and a large fan base was established throughout the country. He would often be stopped in the streets for his autograph or for a quick photograph. Trudeau was also admired for his laid-back attitude and his celebrity relationships; in that word's prevailing use at the time, describing a modern, hip and happening person, he was described as a swinger. Trudeaumania began to fizzle after Pierre Trudeau married Margaret Sinclair in 1971, but he is remembered to this day as one of Canada's most polarizing politicians and prime ministers: fondly recalled by many Central and Eastern Canadians while at the same time unpopular in the western provinces and among conservative thinkers and Quebec nationalists. Official bilingualism is the term used in Canada to collectively describe the policies, constitutional provisions, and laws which give English and French a privileged status over other languages in Canada's courts, parliament and administration. In addition to the symbolic designation of English and French as official languages, official bilingualism is generally understood to include any law or other measure which: . mandates that the federal government conduct its business in both official languages and provide government services in both languages; . encourages or mandates lower tiers of government (most notably the provinces and territories, but also some municipalities) to conduct themselves in both official languages and to provide services in both English and French rather than in just one or the other; . places obligations on private actors in