Essay On Trudeaumania

There are several moments as well as people in history who have had a profound effect on the way Canada evolved as a nation. Upon analysis on the course of Canadian history, the fifteenth prime minister, Pierre Elliot Trudeau remains as one of the greatest citizens to define the nation’s identity. During his sixteen years in the position, he made multiple decisions and contributions of great importance towards the growth of Canada. As a result of his ambitions and efforts, widespread popularity known as “Trudeaumania” began as unlike past politicians, “he touched the dreams of an entire generation of Canadians”. This fame will continue for future Canadian generations since his accomplishments positively affected the country, perhaps forever.

Pierre Trudeau is defining of Canada since he unites Quebec with the rest of Canada, he is responsible for the signing of the Constitution Act in 1982 and the Multicultural Act in 1971.
One of the defining accomplishments of Trudeau’s leadership is his capability to unify Quebec with Canada. Expressing his opinion towards Quebec, Trudeau once said, “I am trying to put Quebec in its place, and the place of Quebec is in Canada.” Within his early months as prime minster, he enacts the Official Languages Act in 1969, promoting bilingualism to the country. Despite the year of the enactment, the law continues to be a defining moment in Canadian history as the law results in a bilingual Canada by protecting both English and French and enuri=s them equal status. This idea can be seen through several reasons One It is important as it declares French and English to be the official languages of Canada as well as ensuring equality of status, rights and privileges as to their use in all federal institutions (“particularly parliamentary proceedings, in legislative and other instruments, in the administration of justice, in communicating with or providing services to the public and in carrying out the work of federal institutions”). Also, it supports the development of English and French linguistic minority communities along with generally advancing the equality of status and use of the English and French languages within Canadian society. This is representing the Canadian identity as Trudeau is able to provide towards the needs of both English and French, without leaving a side out unlike previous prime ministers unable to unite both groups. Connecting to this idea of unity, Trudeau during the 1980 referendum of Parti Québécois, urging Quebecers to vote on separation prevents this idea. Through his emotional speech, the prime minister lead Quebec to a 60 percent ‘no’ vote by promising “renewed attempts to bring Québec into Confederation in a new way”. It is demonstrative of having a huge effect as due to Trudeau’s influence the province remains to Canada as one. If he wanted, Trudeau could have easily allowed the two to separate, but he feels although “a bilingual state is more expensive than a unilingual one –but it is a richer state.” In short, Trudeau’s efforts to ease the tensions between the country as a whole and province, resulted in the unification of the two.
Another very important contribution of Trudeau’s representation of the Canadian identity is the creation of the most important law of Canada, the Constitution Act.

The Act is seen as having the most significant effect on the lives of many Canadians due to three reasons. One reason the constitution Act is important is it evolves Canada from being independent from Britain. This is defining as the country can now make amendments to the country’s constitution without the need for British approval. Another way it is important is it includes the Charter of rights and Freedoms, the most important part of the Act. It is defining as the Charter protects all Canadians and provides them fundamental rights without being discriminatory. The most important concept in the Charter is equality which is an idea Trudeau introduces, which will remain for future Canadian generations. In his victory in 1968, he exclaims to the people he wants a “just society” supporting this act. Trudeau states, “In my thinking, the value with the highest priority in the pursuit of a Just society has become equality.” Section 15 of the Charter gives a modern society’s view of equality. “Every individual is equal before and under the law and has the right to the equal protection and equal benefit of the law…without discrimination based on race, national or ethnic origin, color, religion, sex, age or mental or physical disability.” This will positively affect Canadians as it creates a safe and fair society, making

Canadians open minded and accepting of others. Furthermore, all Canadians are given fundamental freedoms that are the freedom of speech, religion, peaceful assembly and association. As a result of these freedoms, Canadians feel welcome to the society and feel respected as equals, despite having different beliefs, causing citizens to live life to their highest potential. Lastly, the Charter gives Canadians democratic rights which allow Canadians to choose who should lead them and what direction they want to follow. “Every citizen of Canada has the right to vote in an election of members of the House of Commons or of a legislative assembly.” Connecting to this point, it can be seen, the Charter has had an important effect as from the beginning of the country where only White Canadian men of 21 and over can vote, to all citizens regardless of race and religion. Finally, the Charter recognizes aboriginal people and gives them special rights, beside rights from the Act. This impacts citizens expressing the importance for the First people of Canada, and respect should be given to them. In short, the Constitution results in a “just society” of equality, partition of the country and attention towards First Nations.
Lastly, the proclamation of the Multiculturalism Act by Pierre Trudeau in 1971 has an important effect towards the lives of many Canadians.

It serves as an important law in Canada as it respects all cultures, equalizing them to each other within the country. This is a defining moment for several reasons. One reason is the idea of employment. Canada offers its people equal opportunities to participate in society regardless of an individual’s race or religion. The Multiculturalism Act states “Canadians of all origins have an equal opportunity to obtain employment and advancement.” It exemplifies Canada’s movement in the making of a cultural mosaic by removing racial barriers in employment. Therefore, minority groups and immigrants can feel welcome and it serves as an encouragement to participate in the nation culturally, socially and economically. Another reason this Act is impactful is due to preservation of heritage. Unlike other countries that wish its citizens to first admire their country and its cultures, then their own, Canada is the opposite. The government respects all cultures and allows all Canadians to continue their beliefs and values from their past. For instance, many schools in Canada celebrate Black and Asian History months even though these groups make up a small fraction of the population. The importance is the more exposure to various cultures, the more citizens learn about them, resulting in the disappearance of discrimination and limited understanding.

Moreover, interactions between different cultures form a unified Canada where individuals of different backgrounds treat everyone equally. Next, it makes Canada a tolerant society towards immigrants and minority groups. It develops the country as diverse, as the government is open to the world and multicultural, instead of remaining with the majority languages of Canadians, English and French. This is significant as it influences more immigrants to come due to the fact of the country’s diverse culture and equality of opportunity. Immigrants help the country through boosting economy, strengthen culture and diversity and help the community socially. Finally, at the time the Act made Canada the only country with the policy for preserving and enhancing multiculturalism. Thus, the country was the only in the world to support its multiculturalism, which is as a result of Trudeau and his values. He believed in a country of two official languages, but no official language due to his appreciation for people, places and ideas apart from Canada. In short, the efforts of Trudeau ensure Canadians can keep their identities, can take pride in their ancestry and have a sense of belonging, while also upholding ideas of Canada.
Pierre Trudeau is representative of defining Canada as a result of his efforts towards promoting bilingualism of French and English as equal in the country, his creation of the constitution act as well as the formation of the Multiculturalism Act. All these achievements of Pierre Trudeau led Canada to the fair and “just society” it is now. During Trudeau’s time as Prime Minister, Trudeau included the French as an important asset to Canada, preventing them to avoid separatism through his Official languages Act as well as his persuasive speech in order to continue to have Quebec in Canada. Another way he affected Canadian lives is by signing the constitution act treating Canadians with equal rights to one another with the Charter of Rights and Freedoms