Encounters with Trudeau

Pierre Trudeau died 10 years ago today, September 28, 2000. The anniversary made me think of my encounters with him over the years.

When I was a kid in Grade 7, he burst onto the political scene as Minister of Justice, and then a leadership candidate. I still remember watching him on our black and white TV at the 1968 leadership convention, a rose in his lapel, calmly observing the tumult around him.

A few months later, during the 1968 election, he campaigned in Chatham. My dad was president of the Lambton-Kent Liberal Association, so of course we had to be there. I don’t remember his speech, but I remember the densely packed crowd and the excitement around me. That was when kissing him became the passion of many females, young and old, my mother included.

Pierre came to my area a few times in the next several years. I remember a visit to Strathroy and to the high school in Petrolia. Although his political star had fallen somewhat, the palpable excitement was still there.

I attended the University of Ottawa for my undergrad degree partly because of Pierre Trudeau. I wanted to be close to the action, and inspired by Trudeau’s championing of bilingualism, I wanted to learn French. I founded the Liberal Club at Ottawa U, and that gave me an opportunity to briefly meet the man himself at party conventions.

He was approachable, and smaller than you would think, perhaps 5’8” or 5’9”. There would be large crowds around him but you couldn’t see him in the middle of it all. He had those piercing blue eyes, and that brilliant smile. I sensed he was gentle, kind, and mischievous.

In 1980, Trudeau made his famous comeback from defeat. I was in law school at the time, and during that campaign, Pierre came to Alumni Hall. It was the most intense event I ever attended. I was supposed to be “security” – hah! I thought it would be easy. To my surprise, the place was packed, and students were pressing to get in to the point where I was worried for my safety. Pierre was at his magical best, and had the crowd eating out of his hand.

In that election, my dad was elected to Parliament for the riding of Lambton-Middlesex. He had a lot of exposure to Trudeau – in caucus, in the House, social event, and meetings. He even travelled with the Prime Minister to Asia in 1983.

He told me a few tidbits about Pierre the prime minister. For example, he would have MPs to lunch at 24 Sussex just to chat. He would listen carefully about rural issues and followed advice. He didn’t push ahead with bringing the constitution home until he was assured of caucus support. He was respectful of everyone’s views.

One more encounter is still fresh in my memory. Pierre came to my dad’s riding, to the high school in Strathroy, in 1983. When he arrived, he kissed my mother, and we still have a photo of that moment on display in our home.

He gave a thoughtful speech that night. It was almost wistful. I think he knew his time as prime minister was coming to a close. I still remember one line that went something like this: “As I drove here tonight through the countryside, I saw lights at the farms in the distance. And I wondered, who are these people who supported Ralph Ferguson… how do they live, how do they love?”

I saw him in person one more time, in 1990 when Jean Chretien was elected Liberal leader. He signed a copy of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms for me. It is one of my most prized possessions.

When he passed away in 2000, my late first wife Anne happened to be in Ottawa. She stood in line for hours to view his coffin on Parliament Hill. Little did I know that she would herself be gone a few months later.

Pierre Trudeau summoned us to do great things. He inspired us to be better citizens of Canada and the world. He made us look beyond ourselves and our everyday lives. And yet, he chose reason over passion.

We will not see his like again.