Changes

The Trudeau government was little interested in economic growth, and allowed prosperity give way to stagnation and recession as unemployment and inflation proved intractable. Trudeau was reelected with only a minority government in the 1972 election, in part because of a slowing economy.  In the 1974 election Trudeau won a majority, after ridiculing Conservative economic policies, which he had to adopt himself a year later. The economy performed poorly through the late 1970s and Trudeau lost his first general election to the Conservatives in 1979 under the [[Joe Clark]]<ref> See [http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index.cfm?PgNm=TCE&Params=A1ARTA0001651 ''Canadian Encyclopedia'' on Clark]</ref>  Clark's minority government tried to privatize Petro Canada, but soon lost a no-confidence vote.

The Trudeau government was little interested in economic growth, and allowed prosperity give way to stagnation and recession as unemployment and inflation proved intractable. Trudeau was reelected with only a minority government in the 1972 election, in part because of a slowing economy.  In the 1974 election Trudeau won a majority, after ridiculing Conservative economic policies, which he had to adopt himself a year later. The economy performed poorly through the late 1970s and Trudeau lost his first general election to the Conservatives in 1979 under the [[Joe Clark]]<ref> See [http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index.cfm?PgNm=TCE&Params=A1ARTA0001651 ''Canadian Encyclopedia'' on Clark]</ref>  Clark's minority government tried to privatize Petro Canada, but soon lost a no-confidence vote.

===Foreign and defense policy===

===Foreign and defense policy===

In foreign policy Trudeau went out of his way to anagonize Americans; he and Nixon hated each other. Canada did not have the power to shape its own foreign policy, but antagonizing the Americans played very well in public opinion. Trudeau decided decision, against internal opposition, to reduce Canadian forces in NATO stationed in Europe. To make up for the military weakness Trudeau tried to strength Canada's national hockey team.<ref> Paul Conlin, "The Cold War and Canadian Nationalism on Ice: Federal Government Involvement in International Hockey during the 1960s". ''Canadian Journal of History of Sport'' 1994 25(2): 50-68. </ref>

In foreign policy Trudeau reversed previous stances, such of those common in the Diefenbaker years, of putting American interest firsts. He and Richard Nixon reportedly hated each other, and this antagonistic relationship helped to shape Canada's foreign policy in the 1970s, which would often play very well in Canadian public opinion. He opposed the deployment of American nuclear warheads in Canada. he also reduced the size of Canada's forces stationed in Europe.

 

===1980 win===

===1980 win===

In 1980 Trudeau won a majority, easily defeating Conservative Joe Clark. In 1982, Quebec voters narrowly rejected a separatist "sovereignty-association" option, but many expected that sooner or later the province would vote for independence from Canada.  To head this off, Trudeau engineered changes in the federal constitution, ending the role of the British Parliament in amending the constitution. Trudeau successfully mobilized Canada's major interest groups in support of a [[Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms|Charter of Rights and Freedoms]]--something like the American [[Bill of Rights]]. He persuaded all the to accept the new constitution, except for Quebec, which refused its assent. Frustrated, Trudeau resigned both the premiership and party leadership in June 1984.

In 1980 Trudeau won a majority, easily defeating Conservative Joe Clark. In 1982, Quebec voters narrowly rejected a separatist "sovereignty-association" option, but many expected that sooner or later the province would vote for independence from Canada.  To head this off, Trudeau engineered changes in the federal constitution, ending the role of the British Parliament in amending the constitution. Trudeau successfully mobilized Canada's major interest groups in support of a [[Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms|Charter of Rights and Freedoms]]--something like the American [[Bill of Rights]]. He persuaded all the to accept the new constitution, except for Quebec, which refused its assent. Frustrated, Trudeau resigned both the premiership and party leadership in June 1984.