Changes

[[Image:Trudeau.jpg|250px|right|thumb]]

[[Image:Trudeau.jpg|250px|right|thumb]]

'''Pierre Trudeau''' was the 15th [[Canada|Canadian]] [[prime minister]], and a towering figure inb Canadian politics even to this day.  Trudeau, a Liberal, is best known for [[repatriation|repatriating]] the Canadian [[constitution]], for his anti-American foreign policy, his failed efforts to seize Alberta's oil, and his aggressive defeat of terrorism by the War Measures Act during [[Québec]]'s October Crisis in 1970.

'''Pierre Trudeau''' was the 15th [[Canada|Canadian]] [[prime minister]], and a towering figure in Canadian politics even to this day.  Trudeau, a Liberal, is best known for [[repatriation|repatriating]] the Canadian [[constitution]], for his anti-American foreign policy, his failed efforts to seize Alberta's oil, and his aggressive defeat of terrorism by the War Measures Act during [[Québec]]'s October Crisis in 1970.

==Career==

==Career==

Trudeau was born October 18, 1919, the son of Charles-Emile Trudeau and Grace Elliot.  Educated in jesuit schools, he was a devout Catholic all his life. He attended the University of Montreal, [[Harvard University]], Université de Paris and the London School of Economics.  He was first elected to the Canadian House of Commons in 1965.  Almost immediately the young and charismatic Trudeau was seen as a [[Liberal_Party_of_Canada|Liberal Party]] star and he was made Justice Minister in 1967.  The following year in what was dubbed "Trudeaumania", he was elected to be leader of the Liberal Party, and thus the Canadian Prime Minister, taking office on April 19 1968.  Being the first Canadian Prime Minister born in the 20th century he was flamboyant and controversial but was also an intellectual.  Trudeau and the Liberals would win another majority government, and landslide in 1968 a vindication for the young leader.

Trudeau was born October 18, 1919, the son of a wealthy businessman  Charles-Emile Trudeau and Grace Elliot.  Educated in Jesuit schools, he was a devout Catholic all his life. He attended the University of Montreal, [[Harvard University]], Université de Paris and the London School of Economics.  He was first elected to the Canadian House of Commons in 1965.  Almost immediately the young and charismatic Trudeau was seen as a [[Liberal_Party_of_Canada|Liberal Party]] star and he was made Justice Minister in 1967.  The following year in what was dubbed "Trudeaumania", he was elected to be leader of the Liberal Party, and thus the Canadian Prime Minister, taking office on April 19 1968.  Being the first Canadian Prime Minister born in the 20th century he was flamboyant and controversial but was also an intellectual.  Trudeau and the Liberals would win another majority government, and landslide in 1968 a vindication for the young leader.

===FLQ===

===FLQ===

During his first 4 years in power Trudeau faced several politically volatile situations.  The most dramatic was his facing down a home grown terrorist threat of the Front de Liberation du Québec (or the FLQ).  For several years [[Quebec_separatist_movement|separatist]] thoughts were rising in the French-speaking province, and the FLQ decided to remove Quebec from Canada by force.  In October 1970, Trudeau invoked the War Measures Act, for the first and only time in Canadian history.  This gave the state broad powers of arrest and detention in a time of crisis.  When asked how far and how long he would take the measures, Trudeau famously replied "Just watch me".  Although the FLQ kidnappings would end with the death of Quebec cabinet minister Pierre Laporte, the FLQ had its back broken by military presence in the province who arrested only 2 dozen or so radicals.  The general public overwhelmingly supported the emergency powers and the presence of the military in Quebec.  When the crisis was over, Trudeau revoked the powers of the War Measures Act.

During his first 4 years in power Trudeau faced several politically volatile situations.  The most dramatic was his facing down a home grown terrorist threat of the Front de Liberation du Québec (or the FLQ).  For several years [[Quebec_separatist_movement|separatist]] thoughts were rising in the French-speaking province, and the FLQ decided to remove Quebec from Canada by force.  In October 1970, Trudeau invoked the War Measures Act, for the first and only time in Canadian history.  This gave the state broad powers of arrest and detention in a time of crisis.  When asked how far and how long he would take the measures, Trudeau famously replied "Just watch me".  Although the FLQ kidnappings would end with the death of Quebec cabinet minister Pierre Laporte, the FLQ had its back broken by military presence in the province who arrested only 2 dozen or so radicals.  The general public overwhelmingly supported the emergency powers and the presence of the military in Quebec.  When the crisis was over, Trudeau revoked the powers of the War Measures Act.