145-710: David Robert Peterson PC OOnt KC (born December 28, 1943) is a Canadian lawyer and former politician who served as the 20th premier of Ontario from 1985 to 1990. He was the first Liberal officeholder in 42 years, ending the so-called Tory dynasty. Peterson was born in Toronto , Ontario , to Clarence Marwin Peterson (1913–2009) and Laura Marie Scott (1913–2015), and has two siblings, former MPP Tim Peterson and former MP Jim Peterson . His parents were both born in Saskatchewan . His father
290-509: A surprise election in 1976 that resulted in René Lévesque and the sovereigntist Parti Québécois (PQ) winning a majority government. The PQ had chiefly campaigned on a "good government" platform, but promised a referendum on independence to be held within their first mandate. Trudeau and Lévesque had been personal rivals, with Trudeau's intellectualism contrasting with Lévesque's more working-class image. While Trudeau claimed to welcome
435-420: A " Multiculturalism Policy" on October 8, 1971. It was the first of its kind in the world, subsequently being emulated by several provinces such as Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba; even other countries, most notably Australia, which has had a similar history and immigration pattern, emulated the policy. Beyond the specifics of the policy itself, this action signalled an openness to the world and coincided with
580-619: A "juggernaut that became arrogant and didn’t listen to its critics". As the PC and NDP opposition parties were weakened after the 1987 election, it fell to the media and other special interest groups (particularly teachers’ unions and environmental groups) who were criticizing the Ontario government at a level not seen with past administrations. Peterson's government introduced several pieces of progressive legislation. It eliminated "extra billing" by doctors, brought in pay equity provisions, and reformed
725-464: A Franco-Manitoban. Following their advice, he chose a career in politics and a degree in law at the Université de Montréal . In his obituary, The Economist described Trudeau as "parochial as a young man", who "dismissed the second world war as a squabble between the big powers, although he later regretted 'missing one of the major events of the century'." In his 1993 Memoir, Trudeau wrote that
870-520: A French Canadian Catholic living outside the province of Quebec for the first time, felt like an outsider. As his sense of isolation deepened, he decided in 1947 to continue his work on his Harvard dissertation in Paris , where he studied at the Institut d'Études Politiques de Paris (Sciences Po). The Harvard dissertation remained unfinished when Trudeau briefly entered a doctoral program to study under
1015-604: A Privy Council meeting presided over by the governor general occurred on 15 August 1873, in which Governor General the Earl of Dufferin outlined "the terms on which he would agree to a prorogation of Parliament" during the Pacific Scandal . When he served as viceroy, John Campbell, Marquess of Lorne , put an end to the practice of the governor general presiding over Privy Council meetings, other than for ceremonial occasions. Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King had
1160-868: A civil servant in Ottawa in 1949. Until 1951 he worked in the Privy Council Office of the Liberal Prime Minister Louis St. Laurent as an economic policy advisor. He wrote in his memoirs that he found this period very useful when he entered politics later on, and that senior civil servant Norman Robertson tried unsuccessfully to persuade him to stay on. Trudeau's progressive values and his close ties with Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (CCF) intellectuals (including F. R. Scott , Eugene Forsey , Michael Kelway Oliver and Charles Taylor ) led to his support of and membership in that federal democratic socialist party throughout
1305-763: A comfortable lead over the Progressive Conservatives and NDP in mid-1990 public opinion polls, as their party leaders Mike Harris and Bob Rae, respectively, were not expected to be strong challengers. The PC Party was broke after the 1987 election, and anticipating an early election call they held their leadership contest in May 1990 with a membership vote instead of a delegated convention, they still struggled due to newly minted leader Harris's inexperience as well as an association with Prime Minister Brian Mulroney 's growing unpopularity. The NDP having never won an Ontario election and Official Opposition leader Bob Rae
1450-590: A conference called by British Columbia Premier W. A. C. Bennett to attempt to finally patriate the Canadian constitution . Negotiations between the provinces and Justice Minister John Turner created a draft agreement, known as the Victoria Charter , that entrenched a charter of rights, bilingualism, and a guarantee of a veto of constitutional amendments for Ontario and Quebec, as well as regional vetoes for Western Canada and Atlantic Canada , within
1595-710: A contemporary newspaper account, the conference, on 27 March, at Rideau Hall , consisted of 12 individuals, including Chief Justice Bora Laskin , who presided over the meeting; Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau ; several cabinet ministers; Stanley Knowles of the New Democratic Party ; and Alvin Hamilton of the Progressive Conservative Party . All gathered were informed of the Prince's engagement, nodded their approval, and then toasted
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#17327798219071740-464: A cut to the sales tax. The Liberal campaign slogan shifted from “Effective leadership for a strong Ontario” to “Warning: An NDP government will be hazardous to your health.” Toronto Sun columnist Michael Bennett summed up the divergent fortunes of the Liberals and NDP as campaign progressed, writing “As Peterson became more strident, Rae assumed an almost statesman-like attitude. He’d used up most of
1885-415: A deal in exchange for James Cross' life, although they eventually returned to Canada years later, where they served time in prison. Although this response is still controversial and was opposed at the time as excessive by parliamentarians like Tommy Douglas and David Lewis , it was met with only limited objections from the public. After consultations with the provincial premiers, Trudeau agreed to attend
2030-550: A deficit of $ 667 million, while the 1969 budget produced a surplus of $ 140 million. However, the 1970 budget (which produced a deficit of over $ 1 billion) marked the start of consecutive budget deficits run by the Trudeau government; the budget would not be balanced until 1997 . By the time Trudeau's first tenure ended in 1979, the deficit grew to $ 12 billion. In 1971, Trudeau's government greatly expanded unemployment insurance , making coverage nearly universal as coverage for
2175-483: A director since 1991. In 2006, Peterson was named to the board of Shoppers Drug Mart at the time of the firm's acquisition by Loblaws . In his legal practice he provides international advice to a wide range of clients about public policy issues and government affairs in Canada. In 1999, Peterson was at the centre of controversy due to his membership on the board of YBM Magnex, a firm which was discovered to have links to
2320-728: A doctor of laws from the University of Western Ontario and is a knight of the Order of the Legion of Honour of France and a member of the Order of La Pléiade . In 2009, he became a member of the Order of Ontario . Peterson married actress Shelley Matthews in 1974 and they have since raised three children. He is the younger brother of Jim Peterson (1941–2024), formerly a federal Liberal MP and cabinet minister . Both his sister-in-law Deb Matthews and his brother, Tim Peterson , were elected to
2465-455: A down payment for the acquisition of an owner-occupied dwelling or to buy furnitures for the dwelling (or the spouse's dwelling). Individuals who already owned a home (either owner-occupied or rented to another person) could not deduct RHOSP contributions. In 1976, Trudeau's government allowed for transfers of funds between the RHOSP (for instance to select a plan with better returns). In 1977,
2610-439: A final and bloody conflict, armed rioters fired on the troops, and the soldiers returned fire. At least five men were killed by gunfire and there were over 150 casualties and $ 300,000 in damage. In 1939, it was Lapointe who helped draft the Liberals' policy against conscription for service overseas. Lapointe was aware that a new conscription crisis would destroy the national unity that Mackenzie King had been trying to build since
2755-546: A leading figure opposing Duplessis's rule. Trudeau actively supported the workers in the Asbestos Strike who opposed Duplessis in 1949. Trudeau was the co-founder and editor of Cité Libre , a dissident journal that helped provide the intellectual basis for the Quiet Revolution. In 1956, he edited an important book on the subject, La grève de l'amiante , which argued that the asbestos miners' strike of 1949
2900-584: A member of His Majesty's Privy Council for Canada. I will in all things to be treated, debated and resolved in Privy Council, faithfully, honestly and truly declare my mind and my opinion. I shall keep secret all matters committed and revealed to me in this capacity, or that shall be secretly treated of in Council. Generally, in all things I shall do as a faithful and true servant ought to do for His Majesty. Provincial premiers are not commonly appointed to
3045-515: A more open immigration policy that Pearson had brought in. The policy recognized that while Canada was a country of two official languages, it recognized a plurality of cultures – "a multicultural policy within a bilingual framework". This annoyed public opinion in Quebec, which believed that it challenged Quebec's claim of Canada being a country of two nations. Following the Vietnam War,
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#17327798219073190-477: A privy councillor of long standing, be given the style the Right Honourable upon his retirement from Parliament. According to Eugene Forsey , Privy Council meetings—primarily meetings of the full Cabinet or the prime minister and senior ministers, held with the governor general presiding—were not infrequent occurrences in the first 15 years following Canadian Confederation in 1867. One example of
3335-464: A proportion of units toward social housing initiatives. In order to ensure that loans contributed to the provision of low income housing, the CMHC was restricted to giving loans amounting to $ 7500 or less per unit. The Registered home ownership savings plan (RHOSP) was introduced in the government's November 1974 budget . Similar to RRSPs , proceeds from the RHOSP could be received tax-free for either
3480-635: A refugee crisis was caused by the flight of the " boat people " from Vietnam, as thousands of people, mostly ethnic Chinese, fled the country in makeshift boats across the South China Sea , usually to the British colony of Hong Kong. The Trudeau government was generous in granting asylum to the refugees. By 1980, Canada had accepted about 44,000 of the "boat people", making it one of the top destinations for them. In 1969, Trudeau, along with his then- Minister of Indian Affairs Jean Chrétien , proposed
3625-654: A rise in the polls after the rejection of the Victoria Charter, the Quebec Liberals had taken a more confrontational approach with the federal government on the constitution, French language laws , and the language of air traffic control in Quebec. Trudeau responded with increasing anger at what he saw as nationalist provocations against Ottawa's bilingualism and constitutional initiatives, at times expressing his personal contempt for Bourassa. Partially in an attempt to shore up his support, Bourassa called
3770-543: A rise in what many called " Western alienation ". In other domestic policy, Trudeau pioneered official bilingualism and multiculturalism , fostering a pan-Canadian identity. Trudeau's foreign policy included making Canada more independent; he patriated the Constitution and established the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms , actions that achieved full Canadian sovereignty . He distanced Canada from
3915-496: A time when deficit spending was commonplace in most of North America. In the early 1990s recession , Ontario faced a weakening North American economy. Productivity levels were falling throughout the United States and Canada during this period. While there was little that Peterson, or any other Ontario Premier, could have done to prevent this downturn, it weakened his government's reputation for fiscal competence. (Indeed,
4060-627: Is distinct but also entwined within the Privy Council, as the president of the King's Privy Council for Canada customarily serves as one of its members and Cabinet ministers receive assistance in the performance of their duties from the Privy Council Office , headed by the clerk of the Privy Council . While the Cabinet specifically deals with the regular, day-to-day functions of the King-in-Council, occasions of wider national importance—such as
4205-628: Is formally referred to as His Majesty's Government , is defined by the Canadian constitution as the sovereign acting on the advice of the Privy Council; what is known as the Governor-in-Council , referring to the governor general of Canada as the King's stand-in. The group of people is described as "a Council to aid and advise in the Government of Canada, to be styled the Queen's Privy Council for Canada", though, by convention ,
4350-663: Is ranked highly among scholars in rankings of Canadian prime ministers , though he remains a divisive figure in Canadian politics and is viewed less favourably in Western Canada and Quebec. His eldest son, Justin Trudeau , became the 23rd and current prime minister, following the 2015 Canadian federal election ; Justin Trudeau is the first prime minister of Canada to be a descendant of a former prime minister. The Trudeau family can be traced to Marcillac-Lanville in France in
4495-621: Is the most recent prime minister to win four elections (having won three majority governments and one minority government ) and to serve two non-consecutive terms. His tenure of 15 years and 164 days makes him Canada's third-longest-serving prime minister, behind John A. Macdonald and William Lyon Mackenzie King . Despite his personal motto, "Reason before passion", Trudeau's personality and policy decisions aroused polarizing reactions throughout Canada during his time in office . While critics accused him of arrogance, of economic mismanagement, and of unduly centralizing Canadian decision-making to
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4640-589: The National Housing Act to provide financial assistance for new home buying , loans for co-operative housing , and low interest loans for municipal and private non-profit housing. The amendments saw the introduction the Rental Rehabilitation Assistance Program, which established that homeowners and occupants in low income neighborhoods could qualify for small grants to be used for home repair. Also introduced
4785-491: The 1968 election with a strong majority government ; this was the Liberals' first majority since 1953 . Trudeau's first major legislative push was implementing the majority of recommendations from Pearson's Royal Commission on Bilingualism and Biculturalism via the Official Languages Act , which made French and English the co-equal official languages of the federal government. More controversial than
4930-597: The 1969 White Paper (officially entitled "Statement of the Government of Canada on Indian policy"). The Paper proposed the general assimilation of First Nations into the Canadian body politic through the elimination of the Indian Act and Indian status, the parcelling of reserve land to private owners, and the elimination of the Department of Indian and Northern Affairs . The White Paper was widely seen as racist and an attack on Canada's indigenous peoples, and prompted
5075-589: The October Crisis of 1970, when a Marxist-influenced Quebec separatist group, the Front de libération du Québec (FLQ), kidnapped British Trade Consul James Cross at his residence on October 5. Five days later, the group also kidnapped Quebec Labour Minister Pierre Laporte . Trudeau, with the acquiescence of Quebec Premier Robert Bourassa , responded by invoking the War Measures Act , which gave
5220-557: The Privy Council ( PC ), is the full group of personal consultants to the monarch of Canada on state and constitutional affairs. Practically, the tenets of responsible government require the sovereign or his viceroy , the governor general of Canada , to almost always follow only that advice tendered by the Cabinet : a committee within the Privy Council composed usually of elected members of Parliament . Those summoned to
5365-598: The Russian mafia . Peterson maintained that he was unaware of illegal activities at the company, and referred to the accusations against him as "guilt by association". A subsequent investigation by the Ontario Securities Commission found that Peterson's actions met "the legal test of due diligence", but expressed disappointment that he had not shown more leadership on the board. A 2004 report from The Globe and Mail newspaper noted that Peterson
5510-527: The Security Intelligence Review Committee be made privy councillors, if they are not already. To date, only Prime Minister Paul Martin advised that parliamentary secretaries be admitted to the Privy Council. Appointees to the King's Privy Council must recite the requisite oath: I, [name], do solemnly and sincerely swear (declare) that I shall be a true and faithful servant to His Majesty King Charles III , as
5655-521: The University of Western Ontario in political science and philosophy and his law degree from the University of Toronto . He was called to the bar in 1969. He was made a Queen's Counsel in 1980 and later was appointed to the Queen's Privy Council for Canada in 1992 by Brian Mulroney . At the age of twenty-six, he became president of C.M. Peterson Company Limited, a wholesale electronics firm founded by his father. He holds four Honorary degrees including
5800-568: The conservative Union Nationale government. Trudeau was then an associate professor of law at the Université de Montréal . He was originally part of the social democratic New Democratic Party , though felt they could not achieve power, and instead joined the Liberal Party in 1965. That year , he was elected to the House of Commons , quickly being appointed as Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson 's parliamentary secretary . In 1967, he
5945-655: The mayor of Montreal ) in Outremont . Trudeau described a speech he heard in Montreal by Ernest Lapointe , minister of justice and Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King 's Quebec lieutenant . Lapointe had been a Liberal MP during the 1917 Conscription Crisis , in which the Canadian government had deployed up to 1,200 soldiers to suppress the anti-conscription Easter Riots in Quebec City in March and April 1918. In
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6090-579: The "clarity" provided by the PQ victory, the unexpected rise of the Quebec sovereignty movement became, in his view, his biggest challenge. As the PQ began to take power, Trudeau faced the prolonged breakdown of his marriage, which the English-language press covered in lurid detail on a day-by-day basis. Trudeau's reserve was seen as dignified by contemporaries, and his poll numbers actually rose during
6235-532: The "historic importance" of the war and that he had "missed one of the major events of the century in which [he] was living. Harvard had become a major intellectual centre, as fascism in Europe led to a great migration of intellectuals to the United States. Trudeau's Harvard dissertation was on the topic of communism and Christianity. At Harvard, an American and predominantly Protestant university, Trudeau,
6380-471: The "worst speech in modern political history" came across as stilted and over rehearsed. Peterson was re-elected in the provincial elections of 1977 and 1981 . He ran again for the Liberal leadership in 1982 , after Smith resigned. The convention was held on February 21, 1982. This time his convention speech was better. Although not very inspiring, it was viewed as 'statesmanlike' and effective. He won on
6525-407: The 16th century and to a Robert Truteau (1544–1589). In 1659, the first Trudeau to arrive in Canada was Étienne Trudeau or Truteau (1641–1712), a carpenter and home builder from La Rochelle . Pierre Trudeau was born at home in Outremont, Montreal , Quebec , on October 18, 1919, to Charles-Émile "Charley" Trudeau (1887–1935), a French-Canadian businessman and lawyer, and Grace Elliott, who
6670-565: The 1950s. An associate professor of law at the Université de Montréal from 1961 to 1965, Trudeau's views evolved towards a liberal position in favour of individual rights counter to the state and made him an opponent of Quebec nationalism. He admired the labour unions, which were tied to the Cooperative Commonwealth Federation (CCF), and tried to infuse his Liberal Party with some of their reformist zeal. By
6815-637: The B&;A gas station chain (now defunct), some "profitable mines, the Belmont amusement park in Montreal and the Montreal Royals , the city's minor-league baseball team", by the time Trudeau was fifteen. When his father died in Orlando, Florida , on April 10, 1935, Trudeau and each of his siblings inherited $ 5,000 (equivalent to $ 110,000 in 2023), a considerable sum at that time, which meant that he
6960-697: The CMHC). The amendments saw the passage of the Rent Supplement Act , which enabled the CMHC to partner with private landlords, cooperatives, and not-for-profit associations to provide affordable housing; in addition, the act saw the CMHC agree to fund the difference between market rental prices and rent prices geared to the specific occupant's income. Lastly, the Canada Rental Supply Program was introduced to provide interest-free loans for 15 years to developers who agreed to allocate
7105-535: The Canadian Cabinet, and other eminent Canadians. These appointments ended under Lester Pearson , though the traditional style remained in use, limited to only prime ministers and chief justices. In 1992, several eminent privy councillors, most of whom were long-retired from active politics, were granted the style by the Governor General and, in 2002, Jean Chrétien recommended that Herb Gray ,
7250-739: The Canadian Privy Council so as to illustrate the separation between Canada's Crown and that of the UK. The Council has assembled in the presence of the sovereign on two occasions: The first was at 10:00 a.m. on the Thanksgiving Monday of 1957, at the monarch's residence in Ottawa , Rideau Hall . There, Queen Elizabeth II chaired a meeting of 22 of her privy councilors, including her consort , by then titled as Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, whom Elizabeth had just appointed to
7395-559: The Canadian labour force jumped to 96 percent from 75 percent. The system was sometimes called the 8/42, because one had to work for eight weeks (with at least 20 hours per week), and wait two weeks, to get benefits for the other 42 weeks of the year. This expansion also opened the UI program up to maternity, sickness, and retirement benefits, covered seasonal workers for the first time, and allowed mothers to receive up to 15 weeks of benefits if they had 20 or more insurable weeks. The reforms increased
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#17327798219077540-521: The Crown. In addition, the chief justices of Canada and former governors general are appointed. From time to time, the leader of His Majesty's Loyal Opposition and heads of other opposition parties will be appointed to the Privy Council, either as an honour or to facilitate the distribution of sensitive information under the Security of Information Act and, similarly, it is required by law that those on
7685-468: The KPC are appointed for life by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister of Canada , meaning that the group is composed predominantly of former Cabinet ministers, with some others having been inducted as an honorary gesture. Those in the council are accorded the use of an honorific style and post-nominal letters, as well as various signifiers of precedence. The Government of Canada , which
7830-819: The Liberals by a narrow six-point margin, they managed to unseat many Liberal incumbents in the Greater Toronto Area . The Liberal caucus was decimated as they plunged from 95 seats to 36, at the time their worst showing ever. The 59-seat loss surpassed the 48-seat loss in 1943 that began the Tories' long rule over the province. This was also the second-worst defeat for a governing party in Ontario. Peterson lost his own seat, having been resoundingly defeated by NDP candidate Marion Boyd in London Centre by over 8,200 votes. The loss ended Peterson's political career. He announced his resignation as Liberal leader on
7975-488: The NDP. Rae wanted to have a coalition with representation in cabinet but Peterson indicated that he would not accept a coalition. The Liberals and NDP defeated Miller's government on June 18, 1985, on a motion of no confidence on the speech from the throne . [1] Peterson was sworn in as Premier of Ontario eight days later. Peterson's top three cabinet ministers were Robert Nixon as Treasurer, Sean Conway as Education Minister, and Ian Scott as Attorney General. After
8120-510: The NordStar team. The bid was later improved to $ 60 million and was approved by courts and shareholders by early August 2020. Peterson took a senior advisory role at the Toronto Star as vice-chair of the Torstar board of directors and as of 2024 is chair of Torstar, the publisher of the Toronto Star. King%27s Privy Council for Canada The King's Privy Council for Canada ( French : Conseil privé du Roi pour le Canada ), sometimes called His Majesty's Privy Council for Canada or simply
8265-457: The Ontario legislature in the 2003 provincial election while Deb Matthews was re-elected in 2007, 2011 and 2014. Peterson was elected as the Liberal Member of Provincial Parliament for London Centre in the 1975 provincial election . Less than one year later, he campaigned for the leadership of the party following Robert Nixon 's resignation. Despite his inexperience, Peterson nevertheless came within 45 votes of defeating Stuart Smith on
8410-475: The PC and NDP parties would not be strong opposition, groups representing various interests (such as teachers, doctors, and environmentalists), came out against Peterson on television, radio, in print, and at Liberal campaign events, despite the Liberals having worked cooperatively with these special interest groups prior to the election call. Protesters would follow the Premier throughout the campaign, and often received considerable media coverage. The media reported
8555-415: The Privy Council at that same meeting. The Queen also approved an order-in-council. Two years later, the Privy Council again met before the Queen, this time in Halifax, Nova Scotia , to confirm the appointment of Georges Vanier as governor general. There was originally some speculation that the coming together of the sovereign and her Council was not constitutionally sound. However, the Prime Minister at
8700-400: The Privy Council convene in 1947 to consent to the marriage of Princess Elizabeth (later Queen Elizabeth II ) to Philip Mountbatten , per the Royal Marriages Act 1772 . The Princess' father, King George VI , had offered an invitation for Mackenzie King to attend when the Privy Council of the United Kingdom met for the same purpose. But, the Prime Minister declined and held the meeting of
8845-494: The Privy Council, but have been made members on special occasions, such as the centennial of Confederation in 1967 and the patriation of the constitution of Canada in 1982. On Canada Day in 1992, which also marked the 125th anniversary of Canadian Confederation , Governor General Ramon Hnatyshyn appointed 18 prominent Canadians to the Privy Council, including the former Premier of Ontario David Peterson , retired hockey star Maurice Richard , and businessman Conrad Black (who
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#17327798219078990-468: The Privy Council. The first non-Canadian sworn of the council was Billy Hughes , Prime Minister of Australia , who was inducted on 18 February 1916, at the request of Robert Borden —to honour a visiting head of government, but also so that Hughes could attend Cabinet meetings on wartime policy. Similarly, Winston Churchill , Prime Minister of the United Kingdom , was inducted during a visit to Canada on 29 December 1941. Privy councillors are entitled to
9135-454: The Progressive Conservatives 52 which was enough for a minority government. Shortly after the election, NDP leader Bob Rae called Peterson to negotiate. Rae also initiated talks with Premier Miller but the talks with the Liberals proved more fruitful. Rae and Peterson signed a "Liberal-NDP Accord" in which the NDP agreed to support a Liberal government in office for two years. The Liberals, in turn, agreed to implement some policies favoured by
9280-477: The United States and rather formed close ties with the Soviet Union, China, and Cuban leader Fidel Castro , putting him at odds with other capitalist Western nations. In his retirement, Trudeau practised law at the Montreal law firm of Heenan Blaikie . He also successfully campaigned against the Meech Lake and Charlottetown Accords (which proposed granting Quebec certain concessions), arguing they would strengthen Quebec nationalism . Trudeau died in 2000. He
9425-419: The Université de Montréal while in the COTC from 1940 until his graduation in 1943. Following his graduation, he articled for a year and, in the fall of 1944, began his Masters in political economy at Harvard University 's Graduate School of Public Administration (now the John F. Kennedy School of Government ). In his Memoir , he admitted that it was at Harvard's "super-informed environment" that he realized
9570-432: The annual Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day parade in Montreal, rioting Quebec sovereigntists threw rocks and bottles at the grandstand where Trudeau was seated, chanting "Trudeau au poteau!" ("Trudeau to the stake!"). Rejecting the pleas of aides that he take cover, Trudeau stayed in his seat, facing the rioters, without any sign of fear. The image of the defiant Prime Minister impressed the public. The next day, Trudeau handily won
9715-461: The anti-establishment manifesto Refus global , the publication of Les insolences du Frère Untel , the 1949 Asbestos Strike , and the 1955 Richard Riot . Artists and intellectuals in Quebec signed the Refus global on August 9, 1948 in opposition to the repressive rule of Quebec Premier Maurice Duplessis and the decadent "social establishment" in Quebec, including the Catholic Church. When he returned to Montreal in 1949, Trudeau quickly became
9860-491: The company for several years before establishing a wholesale electronics business, C.M. Peterson Co. Ltd, in 1944. He was elected to city council as an alderman in the early 1950s and joined the Ontario Liberal Party , running as its candidate in the 1955 Ontario general election in London North , losing to future premier John Robarts , and ran again as a federal Liberal candidate in 1963 in London . Peterson grew up in London and earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from
10005-427: The convention, prominent Cabinet Minister Judy LaMarsh was caught on television profanely stating that Trudeau was not a Liberal. Nevertheless, at the April 1968 Liberal leadership convention , Trudeau was elected leader on the fourth ballot, with the support of 51 percent of the delegates. He defeated several prominent and long-serving Liberals, including Paul Martin Sr. , Robert Winters and Paul Hellyer . As
10150-406: The conventional "treaty" laid out in the preamble to the 1931 Statute of Westminster . Following the announcement of the Prince of Wales' engagement to Camilla Parker-Bowles , however, the Department of Justice announced its conclusion that the Privy Council was not required to meet to give its approval to the marriage, as the union would not result in offspring that would impact the succession to
10295-460: The day. The quorum for Privy Council meetings is four. The Constitution Act, 1867 , outlines that persons are to be summoned and appointed for life to the King's Privy Council by the governor general, though convention dictates that this be done on the advice of the sitting prime minister. As its function is to provide the vehicle for advising the Crown, the members of the Privy Council are predominantly all living current and former ministers of
10440-623: The declaration (which was backed by the NDP and, with some opposition in caucus, the PCs) was the implementation of the Act's principles: between 1966 and 1976, the francophone proportion of the civil service and military doubled, causing alarm in some sections of anglophone Canada who felt they were being disadvantaged. Trudeau's Cabinet fulfilled Part IV of the Royal Commission's report by announcing
10585-490: The detriment of the culture of Quebec and the economy of the Prairies , admirers praised what they considered to be the force of his intellect and his political acumen that maintained national unity over the Quebec sovereignty movement . Trudeau suppressed the 1970 Quebec terrorist crisis by controversially invoking the War Measures Act . In addition, Quebec's proposal to negotiate a sovereignty-association agreement with
10730-399: The early election as a mark of arrogance, and a sign that Peterson's Liberals had become detached from the electorate. There was no defining issue behind the campaign, and many believed that Peterson was simply trying to win re-election before the economic downturn reached its worst phase. Some Liberal cabinet ministers, most notably Greg Sorbara and Jim Bradley , were strongly opposed to
10875-402: The early election call. Sean Conway , a member of Peterson's inner circle, would later acknowledge that most backbench MPPs also opposed the timing of the campaign. At the time the writ was dropped , the Liberals stood at 50% support in the polls. Peterson's personal popularity rating based on his Meech Lake record was 54%. However, his luck turned immediately upon calling the election. One of
11020-403: The election call as cynical, and the party appeared desperate when they unexpectedly proposed to cut the provincial sales tax halfway through the campaign. It did not help that the provincial election campaign was being run in the aftermath of the failed Meech Lake constitutional accord of Brian Mulroney 's federal government, with which Peterson had significant media exposure in association with
11165-495: The electorate of his leadership abilities. Though Miller's Tories began the election in 1985 with a significant lead, Peterson's Liberals gradually increased their support throughout the campaign. To the surprise of many, Peterson won a narrow plurality of the popular vote. However, at the time rural areas were still slightly over represented in the Legislative Assembly. As a result, the Liberals won 48 seats, while
11310-420: The end of Canada's centennial year in 1967, Pearson announced his intention to step down, and Trudeau entered the race to succeed him as party leader and Prime Minister. His energetic campaign attracted widespread media attention and mobilized many young people, who saw Trudeau as a symbol of generational change. However, many Liberals still had reservations, given that he had only joined the party in 1965. During
11455-540: The end of the First World War. Trudeau believed Lapointe had lied and broken his promise. His criticisms of King's wartime policies, such as "suspension of habeas corpus," the "farce of bilingualism and French-Canadian advancement in the army," and the "forced 'voluntary' enrolment", was scathing. As a university student, Trudeau joined the Canadian Officers' Training Corps (COTC), which trained at
11600-473: The expiration of the Liberal-NDP Accord in 1987, the Liberals called another provincial election , and won the second-largest majority government in Ontario's history, taking 95 seats out of 130, at the expense of the NDP and the Progressive Conservatives who dropped to third place in the legislature. Peterson's Liberal party, regarded as a challenger in 1985, was seen by the end of the 1980s as
11745-610: The federal government was overwhelmingly rejected in the 1980 Quebec referendum . In economic policy, Trudeau expanded social programs, introduced the capital gains tax , and oversaw major increases in deficit spending . In a bid to move the Liberal Party towards economic nationalism , Trudeau's government oversaw the creation of Petro-Canada and launched the National Energy Program , both of which generated uproar in oil -rich Western Canada , leading to
11890-634: The financial program Established Programs Financing to help finance the provincially -run healthcare and post-secondary education system, through transfer payments , by cash and tax points . This system lasted until 1995. In 1979, Trudeau's government restructured family allowances by increasing the role of the tax system in child support and decreasing the role of family allowances. The government established an annual Refundable Child Tax Credit of $ 200 for families with incomes of $ 18,000 or less. As incomes increased above this level, benefits would be taxed away to disappear completely at $ 26,000. Since
12035-518: The first major national mobilization of indigenous activists against the federal government's proposal, leading Trudeau to set aside the legislation. On July 14, 1976, after a long and emotional debate, Bill C-84 was passed by the House of Commons by a vote of 130 to 124, abolishing the death penalty completely and instituting a life sentence without parole for 25 years for first-degree murder. Trudeau's first serious test as Prime Minister came during
12180-486: The floor to join the Tories. Polling in late 1984 showed Peterson's Liberals consistently trailing behind the Progressive Conservatives. Premier Davis still polled as the most popular leader. Peterson's fortunes improved when Davis retired as leader of the Progressive Conservative Party in early 1985. His successor, Frank Miller , took the party further to the right, and was unable to convince
12325-730: The government subsequently won an actual confidence motion, but the incident made it clear that the minority government Trudeau had inherited would not realistically last the full parliamentary term, and that he would soon need to call an early election in order to win a parliamentary majority. Trudeau eventually called this election for June 25, 1968. Trudeau's campaign benefited from an unprecedented wave of personal popularity called " Trudeaumania ", which saw him mobbed by throngs of youths. His main national opponents were PC leader Robert Stanfield and NDP leader Tommy Douglas , both popular figures who had respectively been premiers of Nova Scotia and Saskatchewan (albeit in Trudeau's native Quebec,
12470-494: The government sweeping powers of arrest and detention without trial. Trudeau presented a determined public stance during the crisis; when questioned by CBC Television journalist Tim Ralfe regarding how far he would go to stop the violence, Trudeau answered, " Just watch me ". Laporte was found dead on October 17 in the trunk of a car. The cause of his death is still debated. Five of the FLQ members were flown to Cuba in 1970 as part of
12615-410: The government tightened the rules of the RHOSP (the reforms removed the purchase of furnitures from the list of usage allowed for tax-free use of RHOSP proceeds starting in 1978; disallowed deductible contributions for a taxpayer whose spouse owned a home; suspended tax-free rollover of RHSOP funds to an RRSP; and capped the lifetime of the RHOSP at 20 years). In 1977, Trudeau's government established
12760-409: The government's projected surplus budget for 1990–1991 ultimately yielded a deficit of at least three billion dollars.) Peterson "was getting a ton of advice to call an early snap election after less than three years" and "pundits warned Peterson he certainly didn’t want to call an election in 1991, in the middle of a deep recession". Notwithstanding all of this, Peterson's Liberal Party still retained
12905-453: The government. Polls showed that more than half of respondents felt that Peterson had poorly handled the matter and 61% felt that it revealed widespread corruption in the government. The Peterson administration also developed a reputation for fiscal prudence, under the management of Treasurer Robert Nixon . The Liberal government was able to introduce a balanced budget for 1989–1990 following several years of deficit spending in Ontario, at
13050-645: The height of coverage, but aides felt the personal tensions left him uncharacteristically emotional and prone to outbursts. Trudeau's first government implemented many procedural reforms to make Parliament and the Liberal caucus meetings run more efficiently, significantly expanded the size and role of the Prime Minister's office, and substantially expanded social-welfare programs. Trudeau's government ran large budget deficits throughout its time in office. The government's first budget in 1968 produced
13195-471: The late 1950s Trudeau began to reject social democratic and labour parties, arguing that they should put their narrow goals aside and join forces with Liberals to fight for democracy first. In economic theory he was influenced by professors Joseph Schumpeter and John Kenneth Galbraith while he was at Harvard. In 1963, Trudeau criticized the Liberal Party of Lester Pearson when it supported arming Bomarc missiles in Canada with nuclear warheads . Trudeau
13340-415: The late 1960s until the mid-1980s, Trudeau's personality dominated the political scene to an extent never before seen in Canadian political life. After his appointment as prime minister, he won the 1968 , 1972 , and 1974 elections, before narrowly losing in 1979 . He won a fourth election victory shortly afterwards, in 1980 , and eventually retired from politics shortly before the 1984 election . Trudeau
13485-627: The local armoury in Montreal during the school term and undertook further training at Camp Farnham each summer. Although the National Resources Mobilization Act , enacted in 1940, originally provided that conscripts could not be required to serve outside of Canada, in 1942 Parliament amended the act and removed that restriction. The Conscription Crisis of 1944 arose in response to the invasion of Normandy in June 1944. Trudeau continued his full-time studies in law at
13630-521: The main competition to the Liberals was from the Ralliement créditiste , led by Réal Caouette ). As a candidate, Trudeau espoused participatory democracy as a means of making Canada a " Just Society ". He vigorously defended the newly implemented universal health care and regional development programmes, as well as the recent reforms found in the Omnibus bill. On the eve of the election, during
13775-580: The maximum benefit period to 50 weeks, though the benefit duration was calculated using a complex formula depending on labour force participation and the regional and national unemployment rates. In 1977, the government simplified the benefit duration formula but introduced a variable entrance requirement dependent on the unemployment rate in the applicant's region; the changes also mandated that workers in areas with low unemployment regions work twice as long to be eligible for benefits as workers in high unemployment regions. In 1973, Trudeau's government amended
13920-427: The median income for families during this time was $ 19,500, the majority of families received some benefit from the new program. In 1969, Trudeau's first finance minister , Edgar Benson , introduced a white paper on tax reform which included tax deductions for child care and advocated shifting the tax burden from the poor to the wealthy. Measures to fulfill the latter proposal included a capital gains tax , which
14065-509: The monarch's family have been appointed to the Privy Council: Prince Edward (later King Edward VIII ), appointed by his father, King George V , on 2 August 1927; Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh , appointed by his wife, Queen Elizabeth II , on 14 October 1957; and Prince Charles (now King Charles III ), appointed by his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, on 18 May 2014. On occasion, non-Canadians have been appointed to
14210-454: The new constitution. The agreement was acceptable to the nine predominantly-English speaking provinces, but Quebec's premier Robert Bourassa requested two weeks to consult with his cabinet. After a strong backlash of popular opinion against the agreement in Quebec, Bourassa stated Quebec would not accept it. Trudeau faced increasing challenges in Quebec, starting with bitter relations with Bourassa and his Quebec Liberal government. Following
14355-542: The new leader of the governing Liberals, Trudeau was sworn in as prime minister on April 20. Though the term of the Parliament was not due to expire until November 1970, Pearson's government had almost fallen before the leadership contest could even take place after a tax bill was voted down in Parliament, leading to much confusion over whether this counted as a matter of confidence in the government. Governor General Roland Michener ultimately ruled that it did not, and
14500-429: The night of the election. Peterson has continued to organize and fund-raise for the federal and Ontario provincial Liberals. In May 2005, he played the central role in persuading Belinda Stronach , a federal Conservative MP, to cross the floor to the ruling Liberal Party , days before a crucial confidence motion on the federal budget of Paul Martin 's Liberal minority government . The defection proved critical to
14645-608: The other first ministers. Peterson felt that the Liberals’ fading poll numbers "reflected greater anxieties about the world and that the party had failed to successfully communicate his government’s accomplishments"; by contrast the NDP's hastily assembled platform called "Agenda for People" managed to escape heavy scrutiny due to their underdog status. As the NDP gained momentum, the Liberals panicked as many candidates removed Peterson from their campaign materials and distanced themselves from Peterson, while Treasurer Robert Nixon proposed
14790-692: The outbreak of the Second World War in September 1939 and his father's death were the two "great bombshells" that marked his teenage years. In his first year at university, the prime topics of conversation were the Battle of France , the Battle of Britain , and the London blitz . He wrote that in the early 1940s, when he was in his early twenties, he thought, "So there was a war? Tough. It wouldn't stop me from concentrating on my studies so long as that
14935-554: The party leadership tended toward a " deux nations " approach he could not support. Upon arrival in Ottawa, Trudeau was appointed as parliamentary secretary to Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson , and spent much of the next year travelling abroad, representing Canada at international meetings and bodies, including the United Nations . In 1967, he was appointed to Pearson's Cabinet as Minister of Justice and Attorney General . As Justice Minister and Attorney General, Trudeau
15080-431: The party's debt from the 1981 election and accomplished that by the end of the year and was working on long-term debt. Peterson performed well as opposition leader and was popular in the press. The party started to use him as a label rather than 'Liberal' referring to 'David Peterson's Ontario'. A by-election loss to the NDP was attributed to dislike of Federal Liberals. In 1984, a Liberal backbencher, J. Earl McEwen crossed
15225-419: The proclamation of a new Canadian sovereign following a demise of the Crown or conferring on royal marriages—will be attended to by more senior officials in the Privy Council, such as the prime minister, the chief justice of Canada , and other senior statesmen; though all privy councillors are invited to such meetings in theory, in practice, the composition of the gathering is determined by the prime minister of
15370-647: The province's rent review and labour negotiation laws. His government also brought in pension reform, expanded housing construction, and resolved a long-standing provincial controversy by honouring the Davis Tories promise to extend full funding to Catholic secondary schools. Peterson was also a vocal opponent of free trade with the United States in 1988. His administration was less activist in its later years, though it still introduced progressive measures on environmental protection, eliminated health insurance premiums, and brought in no-fault automobile insurance for
15515-422: The province. Peterson's prominent role in creating and promoting the "Meech Lake" constitutional accord gained criticism from some. While initially popular, this attempt at revising Canada's constitution proved extremely divisive in most of English-speaking Canada. Many believed that it gave too many concessions to Quebec , while others believed that it weakened the federal government's authority in relation to
15660-509: The provinces. Peterson's continued support for the accord, in the face of increased opposition, damaged his personal popularity in Ontario. The accord was not endorsed by Manitoba and Newfoundland , and did not pass. Peterson and the Liberals also faced controversy over the Patti Starr affair . Starr, a prominent Liberal fundraiser, was found to have improperly diverted money from a land development scheme and charitable organizations to
15805-408: The provincial Liberal Party. Several Liberal cabinet members were recipients of her largesse including Health Minister Elinor Caplan , Transportation Minister Ed Fulton and Revenue Minister Bernard Grandmaitre . She was eventually sentenced to six months' jail time. Although no-one in Peterson's administration was accused of criminal activity, the scandal eroded public confidence in the integrity of
15950-567: The race due to the latter's record as provincial premier. Peterson insisted he did not hold a personal grudge against Rae. In 2003, Peterson was contracted by the federal government to be its chief negotiator in talks with the government of the Northwest Territories and aboriginal leaders to transfer federal powers over lands and resources. Peterson served as Chancellor of the University of Toronto for two terms from July 1, 2006, until June 30, 2012. In September 2013, Peterson
16095-534: The royal couple with champagne . David Brown, an official in the Privy Council Office, told The Globe and Mail that, had the Privy Council rejected the Prince of Wales' engagement, none of his children would have been considered legitimate heirs to the Canadian throne , thus setting up a potential break in the unified link to the crown of each of the Commonwealth realms , in contradiction to
16240-438: The second ballot defeating the more left-leaning Sheila Copps with 55% of the vote. In his acceptance speech Peterson said that he would move party to the 'vibrant middle, the radical centre', and stressed economic growth as a way to increase support for social services. Observers from the other parties felt he was trying to move the Liberal party more to the right, away from values that Smith promoted. Peterson worked to pay off
16385-603: The segment of the bill decriminalizing homosexual acts by telling reporters that "there's no place for the state in the bedrooms of the nation", adding that "what's done in private between adults doesn't concern the Criminal Code". Trudeau paraphrased the term from Martin O'Malley's editorial piece in The Globe and Mail on December 12, 1967. Trudeau also liberalized divorce laws, and clashed with Quebec Premier Daniel Johnson, Sr. during constitutional negotiations. At
16530-558: The seminal moments in the campaign was at a press conference called to announce the forthcoming election. Peterson justified the early writ claiming "especially after the failure of the Meech Lake Accord, Ontario faced 'profound changes in this country and the world' and that he needed to protect the province in the event of a national-unity crisis", while denying "that he was being an opportunist and trying to capitalize on polling results that put Liberal support at 50 per cent". It
16675-660: The socialist economist Harold Laski at the London School of Economics (LSE). This cemented Trudeau's belief that Keynesian economics and social sciences were essential to the creation of the "good life" in a democratic society. Over a five-week period he attended many lectures and became a follower of personalism after being influenced most notably by Emmanuel Mounier . He also was influenced by Nikolai Berdyaev , particularly his book Slavery and Freedom . Max and Monique Nemni argue that Berdyaev's book influenced Trudeau's rejection of nationalism and separatism. In
16820-682: The style the Honourable (French: L'honorable ) or, for the prime minister, chief justice, or certain other eminent individuals, the Right Honourable (French: Le très honorable ) and the post-nominal letters PC (in French: CP ). Prior to 1967, the style the Right Honourable was only employed in Canada by those appointed to the Imperial Privy Council in London , such persons usually being prime ministers, Supreme Court chief justices, certain senior members of
16965-717: The summer of 1948, Trudeau embarked on world travels to find a sense of purpose. At the age of twenty-eight, he travelled to Poland where he visited Auschwitz , then Czechoslovakia, Austria, Hungary, Yugoslavia , Bulgaria, and the Middle East , including Turkey, Jordan and southern Iraq. Although he was wealthy, Trudeau travelled with a back pack in "self-imposed hardship". He used his British passport instead of his Canadian passport in his travels through Pakistan, India, China, and Japan, often wearing local clothing to blend in. According to The Economist , when Trudeau returned to Canada in 1949 after an absence of five months, his mind
17110-425: The survival of Martin's government, with the outcome of the budget vote 153–152 in favour of the government. After Martin resigned the party leadership in the wake of the Liberal defeat in the 2006 election , Peterson planned to support former New Brunswick Premier Frank McKenna who chose ultimately not to run. Peterson then backed Michael Ignatieff , criticizing former political opponent Bob Rae 's entry into
17255-537: The task of giving the sovereign and governor general advice (in the construct of constitutional monarchy and responsible government , this is typically binding ) on how to exercise the royal prerogative via orders-in-council rests with the Cabinet—a committee of the Privy Council made up of other ministers of the Crown who are drawn from, and responsible to, the House of Commons in the Parliament . This body
17400-413: The third and final ballot of a delegated convention held on January 25, 1976. Smith presented an image of an articulate intellectual who some delegates said reminded them of Pierre Trudeau while Peterson came across as similar to then Premier Bill Davis . Convention delegates also thought that Peterson, a neophyte MPP at 31 years old, was too young and his convention address which he later characterized as
17545-430: The throne. To mark the occasion of her Ruby Jubilee , Queen Elizabeth II, on Canada Day , 1992, presided over the swearing in of new members of her Privy Council. The most recent formal meeting of the Privy Council was on 10 September 2022, for the proclamation of the accession of King Charles III . Pierre Trudeau Joseph Philippe Pierre Yves Elliott Trudeau (October 18, 1919 – September 28, 2000)
17690-474: The time, John Diefenbaker , found no legal impropriety in the idea and desired to create a physical illustration of Elizabeth's position of Queen of Canada being separate to that of Queen of the United Kingdom. A formal meeting of the Privy Council was held in 1981 to give formal consent to the marriage of Prince Charles, Prince of Wales (now King Charles III ), to Lady Diana Spencer . According to
17835-420: The venom early in the campaign. Now he didn’t need it.” On September 6, 1990, the NDP scored one of the greatest upsets in Canadian political history, taking 74 seats for a strong majority government. Due to the nature of the first-past-the-post system as well as numerous fringe parties contesting this election, one third of NDP seats were won with less than 40 per cent of the vote. While the NDP only outpolled
17980-459: Was "directly involved in managing a large inheritance." From the age of six until twelve, Trudeau attended the primary school, Académie Querbes, in Outremont , where he became immersed in the Catholic religion. The school, which was for both English and French Catholics, was an exclusive school with very small classes and he excelled in mathematics and religion. From his earliest years, Trudeau
18125-527: Was "seemingly broadened" from his studies at Harvard, Sciences Po, and the LSE, as well as his travels. He was "appalled at the narrow nationalism in his native French-speaking Quebec, and the authoritarianism of the province's government". Beginning while Trudeau was travelling overseas, several events took place in Quebec that were precursors to the Quiet Revolution . These included the 1948 release of
18270-497: Was a Canadian lawyer and politician who served as the 15th prime minister of Canada from 1968 to 1979 and from 1980 to 1984. Between his non-consecutive terms as prime minister, he served as the leader of the Opposition from 1979 to 1980. Trudeau was born and raised in Outremont , Quebec , a Montreal suburb, and studied politics and law. In the 1950s, he rose to prominence as a labour activist in Quebec politics by opposing
18415-509: Was a member of Toronto's Olympics Bid Committee. Since leaving politics, he has been a professor at York University in Toronto, a senior partner and chairman of the Toronto law firm Cassels, Brock & Blackwell LLP and has been director or member of several charitable, cultural, and environmental organizations. He is or has been a member on several corporate boards, being particularly associated with Rogers Communications where he has been
18560-465: Was a seminal event in Quebec's history, marking the beginning of resistance to the conservative, Francophone clerical establishment and Anglophone business class that had long ruled the province. Because of Trudeau's labour union activities in Asbestos, Duplessis blacklisted him, and he was unable to teach law at the Université de Montréal. He surprised his closest friends in Quebec when he became
18705-404: Was appointed as minister of justice and attorney general . As minister, Trudeau liberalized divorce and abortion laws and decriminalized homosexuality. Trudeau's outgoing personality and charismatic nature caused a media sensation, inspiring " Trudeaumania ", and helped him to win the leadership of the Liberal Party in 1968 , when he succeeded Pearson and became prime minister of Canada. From
18850-579: Was appointed chair of the Toronto 2015 Pan American Games Organizing Committee. In 2015, he was sued for alleged sexual harassment of a 34-year-old female Pan Am games manager Ximena Morris. Peterson denied any wrongdoing. The case was dismissed with Morris apologising for the lawsuit but not the allegations. David Peterson was the founding chairman of the Toronto Raptors of the National Basketball Association , and
18995-687: Was born to Norwegian immigrant farmers who had previously homesteaded in North Dakota . In the early 1930s, Clarence Peterson joined the newly-formed Co-operative Commonwealth Federation and was present at the conference where it adopted the Regina Manifesto . Looking for work during the Great Depression , he moved to Ontario and in 1936 was living in Toronto, where he found a job as a salesman with Union Carbide . The job eventually took him to London, Ontario, where he worked for
19140-474: Was chastened by this experience, and had become "a cautious and more conscientious director" since that time. The same article further claimed that he has "no influence outside of Toronto". On May 26, 2020, a group of Toronto investors known as NordStar Capital, announced a proposal to acquire TorStar Corporation the parent company of the Toronto Star , for C$ 52-million. Peterson was announced as part of
19285-538: Was considering retiring from the legislature after one more term. As a result, Peterson decided to call a snap election , less than three years into his mandate. This proved to be his greatest mistake. During the first week of the campaign, then-attorney general Ian Scott, claimed that 'while the voters might be cranky at the moment, they ultimately would hold their noses and re-elect the Liberals. After all, he added, “They’re not going to vote for Mike Harris, and what are they going to do — vote NDP?”' However many voters saw
19430-490: Was elected in the safe Liberal riding of Mount Royal in Montreal. He would hold this seat until his retirement from politics in 1984, winning each election with large majorities. His decision to join the Liberals rather than the CCF's successor, the New Democratic Party (NDP), was partly based on his belief that the federal NDP could not achieve power. He also doubted the feasibility of the NDP's centralizing policies, and felt that
19575-501: Was financially secure and independent. His mother, Grace, "doted on Pierre" and he remained close to her throughout her long life. After her husband died, she left the management of her inheritance to others and spent a lot of her time working for the Roman Catholic Church and various charities, travelling frequently to New York, Florida, Europe, and Maine, sometimes with her children. Already in his late teens, Trudeau
19720-753: Was fluently bilingual, which would later prove to be a "big asset for a politician in bilingual Canada." As a teenager, he attended the Jesuit French-language Collège Jean-de-Brébeuf , a prestigious secondary school known for educating elite francophone families in Quebec. In his seventh and final academic year, 1939–1940, Trudeau focused on winning a Rhodes Scholarship . In his application he wrote that he had prepared for public office by studying public speaking and publishing many articles in Brébeuf . His letters of recommendations praised him highly. Father Boulin, who
19865-461: Was later expelled from the Privy Council by the Governor General on the advice of Prime Minister Stephen Harper ). The use of Privy Council appointments as purely an honour was not employed again until 6 February 2006, when Harper advised the Governor General to appoint former member of Parliament John Reynolds , along with the new Cabinet . Harper, on 15 October 2007, also advised Governor General Michaëlle Jean to appoint Jim Abbott . Members of
20010-421: Was of mixed Scottish and French-Canadian descent. He had an older sister named Suzette and a younger brother named Charles Jr. Trudeau remained close to both siblings for his entire life. Trudeau attended the prestigious Collège Jean-de-Brébeuf (a private French Jesuit school), where he supported Quebec nationalism . Trudeau's paternal grandparents were French-speaking Quebec farmers. His father had acquired
20155-420: Was offered a position at Queen's University teaching political science by James Corry , who later became principal of Queen's, but turned it down because he preferred to teach in Quebec. In 1965, Trudeau joined the Liberal Party, along with his friends Gérard Pelletier and Jean Marchand . Dubbed the "three wise men" by the media, they ran successfully for the Liberals in the 1965 election . Trudeau himself
20300-496: Was possible...[I]f you were a French Canadian in Montreal [at that time], you did not automatically believe that this was a just war. In Montreal in the early 1940s, we still knew nothing about the Holocaust and we tended to think of this war as a settling of scores among the superpowers." Young Trudeau opposed conscription for overseas service, and in 1942 he campaigned for the anti-conscription candidate Jean Drapeau (later
20445-410: Was responsible for introducing the landmark Criminal Law Amendment Act , an omnibus bill whose provisions included, among other things, the decriminalization of homosexual acts between consenting adults, new gun ownership restrictions and the legalization of contraception, abortion and lotteries, as well as the authorization of breathalyzer tests on suspected drunk drivers. Trudeau famously defended
20590-411: Was severely criticized by corporate Canada and the business community (notably Israel Asper ). The bill was debated in Parliament for over a year, with its more radical proposals being removed in parliamentary committee. The reforms managed to be passed through the use of closure , with the capital gains tax (that had an inclusion rate of 50 percent) coming into effect on January 1, 1972, as prescribed by
20735-412: Was soon interrupted without intervention by security or police by Greenpeace activist Gord Perks , who arrived with a briefcase handcuffed to his arm, with a tape recorder inside playing a pre-recorded list of broken Liberal environmental promises. Peterson sat in front of the room full of reporters, awkwardly silent and clearly uncomfortable. Disappointed by high expectations as well as perceiving that
20880-555: Was the Assisted Home Ownership Program which allowed the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) to start providing grants and subsidized interest rates to low income families (though in 1978 an amendment discontinued the provision of grant money to these families, which led to a high incidence of defaults, and in turn, necessitated that the federal government provide financial assistance to
21025-526: Was the head of the college, said that during Trudeau's seven years at the college (1933–1940), he had won a "hundred prizes and honourable mentions" and "performed with distinction in all fields". Trudeau graduated from Collège Jean-de-Brébeuf in 1940 at the age of twenty-one. Trudeau did not win the Rhodes Scholarship. He consulted several people on his options, including Henri Bourassa , the economist Edmond Montpetit, and Father Robert Bernier,
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