Trudeaus Just

Society
How Just was it really?

Who is Pierre Trudeau?

15th Prime Minister of Canada
PM for 16 years
Brought home (patriated) the
Canadian Constitution in 1982
Incorporates Charter of Rights and
Freedoms into the Constitution
Creates Canadian policy of
multiculturalism
But who was he, really?

What is your impression of Pierre Trudeau?

Just Watch Me

So
What is your
impression of
Pierre Trudeau?
Would you vote for
him?

What is Trudeaumania?

Trudeaus Just Society?

What is a Just
society?

What is an Unjust
society?

What is a just society?

Across ALL Canadian
borders

Connected to:
Canadian autonomy
and independence
Multiculturalism

Fair rights for ALL

Canadians
Equality for ALL
Canadians
In Canada? This means
progress, advancement,
and a reworked moral

Why now?
Prosperous 1950s and 1960s; decades
of change demand progress,
advancement and equality
Trudeaus concern: how to share the
national wealth more equally
Thought Canada should be strong
enough to resist cultural and economic
pressures from its giant neighbour
U.S.A.

In his words:
"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."

So just how Just was it?

Create a report card for Pierre Trudeau. Examine how each of
the following groups might feel about his new society by looking
at what he DOES, and does NOT do for them:
French-Canadians
Women
LGBT community
Black Canadians
Economic Groups (Businesses, Laborers, etc.)
Economic Groups

What did you Report?

Compare Trudeaus grades and write your
evaluations on the the worksheet.
What do you think - just, or not so much?

Women
broaden grounds for divorce more free choice and
opportunity for women
Improves access to abortion
(illegal until 1969)
Institutes maternity leave, birth
control laws
Women given greater legal
rights to property ownership
Appoints first woman to
Supreme Court of Canada

French Canadians
Official Bilingualism (Pearson
actually begins this process)
Official Languages Act: gives
French and English equal status by
law
Equalizes Fr/Eng education
Governments must be run in
Fr/Eng
Encourages goods and
services to be in Fr/Eng

So, why are they unhappy?

Economic Groups
believes in eliminating gap between
rich and poor
Increase taxes on corporations
(business community angry, so it is
dropped)
Makes unemployment insurance more
fair for all
Creates PetroCan Canadas own oil
company
Institutes controversial National
Energy Program, extends federal
government control of the gas and oil
industry to 50% (West dislikes this
federal intervention and control)

Aboriginals
Trudeau and Chretien create White
Paper believe Aboriginals should be
treated equally
Propose to abolish old Indian Act
Aboriginals will only receive same
services as other Canadians
act provided schools, medical care, etc.,
BUT Aboriginals saw the paper as trying
to assimilate them with rest of Canada,
eliminated their sense of community
- React by creating a Red Paper
Constitution Act 1982 "recognizes and
affirms" the "existing Aboriginal and treaty
rights

LGBT Community
Abolishes penalty for
homosexual acts between
consenting adults (illegal until 69)
o "The state has no business in
the bedrooms of the nation.
1976: NDP first party to openly
support gay movement
1977: Sexual Orientation part of
Quebecs Human Rights Charter
Creates Charter of Rights and
Freedoms unify all Canadians
under equal rights

Black Canadians
KKK present and active in Canada
National organizations for Black
Canadian women
1974: Keep Canada White attacks
1975: Rosemary Brown, black
Canadian woman, ran for NDP
leadership (became Chief
Commissioner of Ontario Human
Rights Commission)
1978: Black History month fought
for and won in Toronto (Feb.)
1979: First Black federal cabinet
minister (Lincoln Alexander)

Overall?
Policy of Multiculturalism (1971): promotes greater
understanding and acceptance of different cultural groups (cultural
mosaic NOT melting pot!)
Canada is the FIRST country in the world to officially adopt
Canadian Human Rights Act (1978): prohibits discrimination
across all areas (race, gender, sexual orientation, disability,
etc.)this policy! It becomes law in the 1980s.
Brings home Constitution from Britain in 1982
Incorporates Charter of Rights and Freedoms into the

Thoughts?
Do YOU think Trudeau was successful in creating a
Just Society?