[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 124 (Friday, October 6, 2000)]
[Senate]
[Page S10073]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  THE PASSING OF PIERRE ELLIOT TRUDEAU

  Mr. L. CHAFEE. Mr. President, last week the Canadian people learned 
of the passing of their former prime minister, Pierre Elliot Trudeau. 
His funeral, which took place on Wednesday, brought Canada's many 
political factions together for an unusual moment of unity. I would 
like to take this time to share with my colleagues my thoughts on this 
momentous event for our neighbors.
  Pierre Trudeau led Canada at a time when that nation made enormous 
progress both internally and on the world stage. He served as prime 
minister from 1968 through 1984, with a brief nine-month hiatus in 
1979-80. During these years, Trudeau championed many initiatives, and 
supervised the process by which Canada replaced its ties to Great 
Britain with a constitution of its own. His agenda affected Canadian 
politics for years after he left office.
  Pierre Trudeau's private life certainly made many headlines, but his 
most enduring legacy was his success in addressing the separatist 
movement in his native Quebec. Just two years after assuming the prime 
minister's post, he won plaudits from the Canadian people for his 
toughness in dealing with separatist terrorists who had kidnapped a 
British diplomat and a Quebecois provincial official. Ten years later, 
in May 1980, Trudeau's leadership and persuasiveness convinced 59.6% of 
Quebecois to vote against separating from the national government. At 
the same time, though, he was sensitive to his country's French-
speaking population; Canada was made officially bilingual in 1984.
  I lived in Canada for seven years during the Trudeau era. As an 
American in this foreign-but-nearby land, I learned first-hand how 
Pierre Trudeau shaped and influenced the maturation of Canada. Although 
the United States and Canada certainly had their differences during 
this era, particularly on matters of arms control, I know that our 
nation fully respected his abilities and leadership qualities that 
guided Canada through some momentous times. Our friendly neighbor to 
the north has lost a great leader, and I hope all of my colleagues will 
take a moment to recognize the enormous legacy of Pierre Elliot 
Trudeau.

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