Canadian Leader Pierre Elliot Trudeau Essay - 1669 Words

Pierre Elliot Trudeau was arguably one of the most vivacious and charismatic Prime Ministers Canada has ever seen. He wore capes, dated celebrities and always wore a red rose boutonniere. He looked like a superhero, and often acted like one too. Some of the landmark occurrences in Canadian history all happened during the Trudeau era, such as patriating the constitution, creating the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and the 1980 Quebec Referendum. However, it is Trudeau’s 1969 â€Å"white paper† and the Calder legal challenge which many consider to be one of his most influential contributions to Canadian history. Trudeau himself was a liberal. One of the core beliefs of liberal ideology is that of individual rights, meaning that†¦show more content†¦The main reason why the white paper was brought in was because the federal government could no longer deny that Canada’s Aboriginal peoples were facing serious socio-economic troubles that the rest of Canadians were not. These issues included higher poverty and infant mortality rates, lower life expectancy and poorer education levels. Also at this time, the civil rights movement happening in the United States brought an increased level of public awareness to issues of social justice, and made many Canadians questioning the inequality and discrimination in Canada and how it pertained to First Nations people. In addition to the 1969 White Paper proposals, other landmark occurrences with Trudeau’s relationship to Canadian Aboriginals included the 1973 Calder case. With the rise of awareness about social justice issues, the federal government commissioned anthropologist Harry Hawthorn in 1963 from the University of British Columbia to look into the social injustices faced by Aboriginal people across the country. In his report, Hawthorn discovered that Aboriginal peoples were incredibly marginalized due to their isolation from the rest of society caused by years of failed federal policies, which included the residential school system. Due to the abuse and neglect many Aboriginals faced at these residential schools, they were left with emotional trauma which made them unable to want to contribute to a society which had done nothing butShow MoreRelatedEssay on Pierre Elliot Trudeau1205 Words   |  5 PagesPierre Elliot Trudeau: A Successful Prime Minister A great Prime Minister should always do what is right for Canada, no matter what obstacles he or she faces. Looking at the fifteen years he was in power, Pierre Elliot Trudeau did exactly that. For instance, he implemented the Official Languages Act and made bilingualism law. In another case, he put an end to the October Crisis by putting into effect the War Measures Act. Finally, Trudeau amended the Constitution which gaveRead MorePierre Elliot Trudeau974 Words   |  4 PagesCanada’s greatest leaders, Pierre Elliot Trudeau brought change that would change Canada forever in a positive manner. Although it can be argued that Trudeau’s behavior was outlandish and informal at times, it could be considered charismatic, however, his behavior to politics was superior. He was inspired to change Canada and make it a better place to live. He did so by implying the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, multiculturalism, and using laws to make Canada a better place. Pierre Elli ot Trudeau’s actionsRead MoreGreatest Canadian: Pierre Trudeau Essay1486 Words   |  6 PagesPierre Trudeau is the greatest Canadian of the twentieth century due to the fact that he declared Canada’s independence from Great Britain, he abolished the death penalty, and he created the Official Languages Act, making our nation entirely bilingual. 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During his fifteen years in the position, he makes multiple decisions and contributions of great importance towards the growth and prosperity of Canadian society. As a result of his ambitions and efforts, widespread popularity known as â€Å"Trudeaumania† begins as a phenomenon that had existed like no ot her before hisRead MoreThe United Nations Human Development1836 Words   |  8 Pagesrights whatsoever when Canada first became a nation, however after a great deal of adversity and many years of struggle, this community has fought its way to become equals under the eyes of the law. Undoubtedly, we can see this in the values of Canadians and the laws which represent our morals. Today, Canada possess some of the most progressive and just LGBT Rights across the globe, while discrimination and unfair treatment has not been completely abolished from Canada (as we cannot change the values