Pierre Elliott Trudeau was one of the most prominent Prime Ministers of Canada, serving non-consecutively from 1968 to 1979 and again from 1980 to 1984. Born on October 18, 1919, in Montreal, Quebec, his full name was Joseph Philippe Pierre Yves Elliott Trudeau. He was the son of Charles-Émile Trudeau, a wealthy businessman, and Grace Elliott.
Trudeau was educated at Collège Jean-de-Brébeuf, where he was exposed to the ideas of French Canadian nationalism. He later studied at the University of Montreal, earning a law degree, and then traveled abroad to study at the London School of Economics and Harvard University. His intellectual pursuits were broad, encompassing law, economics, and political science.
Trudeau's political journey began in the 1960s. He was appointed as the Minister of Justice in 1967 by Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson, where he was instrumental in pushing through significant reforms like the decriminalization of homosexuality, legalization of abortion, and the introduction of the Canadian Bill of Rights. Following Pearson's retirement, Trudeau won the leadership of the Liberal Party of Canada and became Prime Minister in 1968, an event often referred to as "Trudeaumania."
Trudeau's legacy is complex and often polarizing. He is celebrated for:
Trudeau married Margaret Sinclair in 1971, with whom he had three sons, including Justin Trudeau, who later became Prime Minister. The couple divorced in 1984. Trudeau passed away on September 28, 2000, in Montreal.
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