Joseph Philip Pierre Trudeau, Canada as a Liberal State - Essay Example

Pierre Trudeau Introduction Joseph Philip Pierre Trudeau was the 15th Canadian prime minister, who was responsiblefor the adoption of the Charter of Freedom and Rights, which is considered as “undoubtedly the most significant event in the evolution of Canadian political culture in the twentieth century” (Laforest 125). Before Trudeau, the Canadian Bill of Rights was introduced by Prime Minister John Diefenbaker during his service. However, the bill was not officially mentioned in the constitution, thus Trudeau also realized that there were other pitfalls in the bill and he recognized the need to further implement another bill or charter that would value the rights of both men and women equally. Therefore, the Charter of Freedom and Rights was enacted and it aimed to keep the individual rights of the Canadians protected, irrespective of their race, caste, creed or religion. The charter would enable the individuals their fundamental rights without any bias or discrimination and it would give importance to the rights of the individuals rather than the laws of the state. Therefore, Trudeau, through the charter, provided the basic rights to every single Canadian, thus influencing their lives to a great extent. Trudeau became a charismatic leader once he started working as the Minister of Justice, in Montreal and he contributed to the passing of bills regarding social welfare measures such as making the gun and arms law stricter and also bringing various reforms in laws that relate to homosexuality as well as abortion. His followers were inspired by Trudeaumania, the nickname given to Trudeau for the outstanding role he played in the Liberty Party, by inspiring each member to strive towards serving for the country and its people. He drove political factors in the country and encouraged as well as brought to the fore various beneficial reforms starting from the 1960s to the mid 1980s, which included patriation that would increase the federal economic power in the country and also led to institutional changes like the forming of supreme court. He also contributed to the country gaining independence from Britain, as Queen Elizabeth II announced Canada to be exempted from the rule of the British Parliament when Trudeau was in power. Trudeau further increased the economic stability of the country by extending its trade relationships with other countries and he also envisioned peace through various international disarmament discussions he encouraged and attended. The increased economic stability in the country would in turn lead to increase in the purchasing power of the citizens, thus influencing and improving their lifestyle to a large extent. Trudeau had a lot of admirers and followers who praised him for his brilliant intellect and also saluted his political shrewdness in safeguarding the interests of the nation and also unifying it as one. According to Laforest, Trudeau became increasingly “reconciled with Canadian nationalism” (125) and he did all in his power to inflict feelings of nationalism and patriotism in the people of Canada by strengthening “the charter to mobilize public opinion” (147). He was also greatly responsible for the Quebec autonomy movement, which restrained an aggressive rebellion on part of the people. Therefore, the presence of Trudeau proved to be a golden era for the people in the country. Analysis Trudeau introduced the landmark Criminal Law Amendment Act in 1968-69. He won his presidency with the majority of votes. He formulated some important laws including Official Languages Act, which guaranteed bilingualism in the civil service. “If there is any crisis, it is fundamentally because Mr. Trudeau was victorious in his battle against the dualist ideas of Quebec politicians and intellectuals” (Laforest 4). Trudeau Et la Fin D'un Re?ve Canadien In 1970, there was a severe threat for the national security, due to the attack from the terrorist group, Front de liberation du Quebec. Trudeau stood his ground against the terrorist group and he immediately ceased their activities. Another important factor to notice is that Trudeau stopped the French separatist movement and strived to strengthen the bond between Canada and France. During the time, there was an increasing inflation, therefore, Trudeau strived to impose control on price and wages, which, however, caused an economic crisis and a tendency for separation in western Canada further led to the collapse of Liberal government in 1979. Trudeau resigned under such a political situation and the opposition party came in to power. The party ruled only for a short term of six months, after which Trudeau re-emerged as a party leader and was elected as president the following year. Trudeau’s government had an immense influence on Canada. “His dual commitment to individual civil liberties and to building the Canadian nation resulted in a charter of rights enshrined inside a patriated constitution and a changed country” (Kinsman 103). Taking into consideration the aspects of foreign policy, he never agreed for changing the nation by involving any outsiders. Trudeau’s foreign policy was assembled from within a conceptual framework with foreign relations: North South and East-West. Whatever issues occurred regarding the foreign policies, Trudeau stayed firm on his decisions and purely dedicated to individual civil rights as well as the rights of independent states. The canon of humanitarian intervention had not yet developed during that period. Trudeau was strictly against racial discrimination and various undertakings of racist Rhodesia. He was less antagonistic regarding individual and political freedoms within Eastern Europe and he was focused on working with the individuals. Another important fact to be observed is that Trudeau was greatly concerned for poorer countries and its people. His intervention created certain problems in the United States. Pierre Trudeau was always referred to as the unbeaten politician due to his deft way of handling politics. He was also extremely sensible and believed no matter whether a policy is established or concrete it must be most definitely examined. “Trudeau introduced the refined art of a single combat to Canada; it was the politics of “Doing It My Way”- the politics of going my way or being left behind” (Zolf 14). Just Watch Me: Remembering Pierre Trudeau Trudeau changed the course of policies of Americans in the matters of foreign policy, as he rejected NATO. The time when Trudeau was in power was indeed a golden period for the people of Canada. His rule was tough for the armed forces and various problems occurred in the leadership of management for different promotion criteria. Due to the inflation, budgets were low and, therefore, the renovation of weapons was cancelled, which further led to decrease in the status of Canada in NATO. However, Trudeau later on made an alliance with NATO. He did not give much importance to the military force, and neither did the opposition party. Trudeau strongly insisted on morality being the most significant aspect to every individual, and his ideals were entirely based on the individual, giving less importance to the state, as it has a small authority in morality. Trudeau worked hard for regaining the power of the army during 1970s FLQ crisis. He applied the bilingual system to the official federal services of Canada, which meant that both English and French could be used for service. Also he played a crucial role in the Quiet Revolution, Trudeau left on the periphery of active politics till 1965. After becoming the minister of Justice, he expressed his constitutional views as for the Charter of Rights and French schooling in Canada. Even after his service period, Trudeau led the national debate in the 1990s. Trudeau was greatly responsible for the collapse of Charlottetown (1992) and Meech Lake (1990) agreement. However, in spite of such incidents, Trudeau remains the most charismatic leader in the 20th century, and will be remembered by all the Canadian hearts for generations to come. Conclusion Without Trudeau, Canada would note have been the way it is now. The foundation of Canada as a liberal state was formed only with immense efforts on the part of Trudeau. He was the most charismatic, imperative, and accomplished leader of Canada that is a testimony for the whole world through the history of Canada. When he passed away on September 28, 2000, there was an outburst of tributes and people all over Canada mourned his death. Works Cited Kinsman, Jeremy. “Who is My Neighbour? Trudeau and Foreign Policy.” London Journal of Canadian Studies. 2002-2003. Web. 15 Apr. 2013. . Laforest, Guy. Trudeau and the End of a Canadian Dream. Canada: McGill-Queen’s University Press. 1955. Web. 15 Apr. 2013. . Zolf, Larry. Just Watch Me: Remembering Pierre Trudeau. Canada: James Lorimer & Company. 1984. Web. 15 Apr. 2013. . Read More